IMPRESSIVE HAMLET ARE TOO GOOD FOR THE TOWNERS

A CROWD OF 843 WAS AT CHAMPION HILL LAST NIGHT WHICH WAS DOWN ON LAST SEASON'S NUMBERS WHERE THE HAMLET REGULARLY ATTRACTED OVER 1,000 PEOPLE. DULWICH HAMLET v ENFIELD TOWN ATTRACTED 2,249 ON SATURDAY 9th JANUARY..WAS EVERYONE STILL ON SUMMER HOLIDAYS?

When Billy Crook's penalty kick hit the back of the net after 27 minutes to put Enfield Town 0-1 up and for the next 10 minutes or so all the travelling support was thinking maybe...just maybe we could be about the eventually beat Dulwich Hamlet at last after a record of four defeats and two draws in the games played since 2013/14. The Town had been second best in the first twenty minutes with the home side looking very impressive and dangerous going forward - but for a superb instinctive save from Nathan McDonald would of been 1-0 up themselves. 

Gradually Hamlet's class started to tell and on 46 minutes Nyren Clunis (who has been a thorn in the side for Town in games with Hamlet so many times) heading home following a great cross from the left hand side by Nathan Green. Clunis always looks a class above for Hamlet - How a football league side has not yet picked up a player with so much talent is beyond me? 

Gavin Rose's side had the more possession in the second half and could well of been in lead had it not been for a clearance off the line and the angle of post and bar before Daniel Carr scored on 61 minutes. They went forward with devastating pace, showed quality movement with crisp impressive long and short passing . McDonald made an amazing save to keep the score within reach for Bradley Quinton's side who when substitutes Nigel Nieta and Kelvin Bossman came on could of grabbed a point had a little bit of luck gone the Towner's way. Preston Edwards save from a Billy Crook free kick was probably the best chance of making it all square.

THE CLUB BAR SELLS 'HAMLET LAGER' AS WELL AS A GOOD SELECTION OF CRAFT BEERS - THERE IS EVEN A FISH AND CHIP SHOP NEAR THE GROUND NAMED AFTER DULWICH HAMLET.

The playing surface at Champion Hill was in tremendous condition almost like a bowling green - it will be the envy of many clubs further up the pyramid throughout this season.

Could this be Hamlet's year having finished sixth, fourth and fifth since being promoted as Division One (South) champions in 2013? Their team last night included a number of players with a vast amount of experience at a higher level of football. I think the signings of Kargbo, Chambers, Carr and especially Tomlin will give them a real chance of winning the title -

Preston Edwards
Over 200 appearances for Ebbsfleet United in the National League and National League South. One of the best goalkeepers in the Ryman League.

Nathan Green 
Football league appearances for Dagenham and Redbridge in 14/15 and Conference South appearances for Dartford, Margate and Tonbridge Angels over the last few years.

Ibrahim Kargbo 
A full Sierra Leone International where he has 34 caps - over 200 appearances in the Dutch and Belgian football league.  

Michael Chambers
Crystal Palace paid £85,000 for his services from Dulwich in 2012 - he now finds himself back at Champion Hill after joining from Welling United over the summer where he made over 50 National League appearances.

Nyren Clunis
As stated I think he should be playing for a football league side..still only 24 years old and has made over 250 appearances for Champion Hill after graduating from the youth system at Champion Hill.

Ashley Carew
Football league experience with Barnet and step one non-league experience with Ebbsfleet United and Cambridge United.

Daniel Carr 
The striker/centre forward moved from Champion Hill in 2013 joining football league side Huddersfield Town for an undisclosed four-figure fee and subsequently moved on to Cambridge United last season. He only made a handful of appearances for both clubs and spent some time out on loan with Fleetwood Town, Mansfield Town, Dagenham and Redbridge, Aldershot Town and Woking subsequently rejoining the South London side over the summer. The goal he scored last night was his first in this second spell - I predict if he stays fit he will scored 20-25 goals for Hamlet this season.

Gavin Tomlin 
A centre-forward with a massive amount of football league experience with Brentford, Yeovil Town, Dagenham & Redbridge, Southend United, Port Vale and Crawley Town - He had an amazing game last night and will cause most Ryman defences problems all season.

Sandy Cunningham 
Only on the bench last night but has Scottish Football League experience with Stirling Albion and Berwick Rangers.

Michael Onovwigun 
Has recently joined Dulwich - has been with football league side Chesterfield for the past two seasons.

THE SPRINKLERS WATER THE PITCH AT HALF TIME LAST NIGHT

There were many positives to take for the Towners from this game - the main one I think is that not many Ryman Premier teams will come away from Champion Hill with points this season so to lose 2-1 and nearly nick a draw at the end of the game is absolutely no disgrace at all. Nikki Ahamed making his competitive debut for Town in centre-midfield had a good game and was my Enfield Town Man of the Match. 

COULD THE RYMAN PREMIER TITLE BE COMING TO CHAMPION HILL THIS SEASON?

Elsewhere in the Ryman Premier Division after two games played (Grays host AFC Sudbury tonight but both drew their opening game) only Leiston, Tonbridge Angels and the two Division One (South) promoted sides in Worthing and Folkestone Invicta have 100% winning records. At the bottom of the table the Met Police and Wingate & Finchley are the only sides left yet to register a point.  

Leiston's winning record is only continued after an amazing game at Canvey Island. The Islanders were 1-0 up in the 84th minute only for Leiston to score what they would of thought was an equaliser. Canvey scored what they would of thought would of been the winner in the 85th minute (Jack Simmons with his second of the game). Two late goals from Tom Bullard and Byron Lawrence made the scored 2-3 to Leiston! 

Title favourites Havant & Waterlooville got their first win with a 3-1 home victory over Leatherhead. Summer signing Jason Prior (from Bognor) scored his first goal for The Hawks. 

In the game at The Harry Abrahams Stadium TheColdEnd sends best wishes to Wingate's Tommy Cummings who suffered a serious injury following a challenge from Billericay's Kreshnic Krasniqi who was red carded. Cummings required a ambulance and was taken to hospital- I will update you when I know more about the injury.

The result of the night has to be Folkestone's 0-2 victory at Staines Town who had won 1-6 on the opening day of the season.  Invicta are involved in one of the games of the day this coming Saturday as they take their unbeaten run to Havant and Waterlooville - Another game to look out for in unbeaten Leiston travelling to Champion Hill. 

RESULTS 
Burgess Hill Town 1-2 Tonbridge Angels
Canvey Island 2-3 Leiston
Dulwich Hamlet 2-1 Enfield Town
Harrow Borough 2-0 Harlow Town
Havant & Waterlooville 3-1 Leatherhead
Lowestoft Town 1-1 Needham Market
Merstham 1-1 Bognor Regis Town
Staines Town 0-2 Folkestone Invicta
Wingate & Finchley 1-2 Billericay Town
Worthing 3-1 Metropolitan Police

FIXTURES
Wednesday 17th August
Grays Athletic v AFC Sudbury

Saturday 20th August
Burgess Hill Town v Enfield Town 
Canvey Island v Leatherhead 
Dulwich Hamlet v Leiston 
Grays Athletic v Bognor Regis Town 
Harrow Borough v Metropolitan Police 
Havant & Waterlooville v Folkestone Invicta 
Kingstonian v Needham Market 
Lowestoft Town v Tonbridge Angels 
Merstham v AFC Sudbury 
Staines Town v Billericay Town 
Wingate & Finchley v Hendon 
Worthing v Harlow Town