The Non League Paper report from Ryan Jackson at Dulwich Hamlet made Cheshunt keeper R’avan Constable the man of the match & with his incredibly accurate throws clearing the half way line to set the Ambers off on the break & his second half penalty save it was a deserved accolade.

The match was an entertaining affair despite the lack of goals, good football played by both sides adjusting to a strong wind blowing longways down the pitch. It would be fair to suggest Dulwich had the better of the first half with Kaunda & Bremang going close with headers, and Bremang twice breaking the high Cheshunt defensive line only to be beaten to the ball by Constable.  A strong and tall Dulwich forced a number of corners and swung them into the six yard area to put the Ambers under pressure but several strong punches from Constable and the abilities of Darion Furlong, Raul Da Silva and Dequane Wilson Braithwaite to read the flight & get up higher than the home side’s big men kept the attack at bay.

Cheshunt had worked hard in defence, looked to keep the Dulwich defence honest with breaks via Vas Vasiliou & Kenny Coker and deserved to go into the break at 0-0.

The hard work looked likely to be undone within minutes of the restart when a perhaps harsh penalty was awarded to Dulwich for handball, in a bit of a scramble to the right of the posts the ball deflected upward & hit an Amber hand.  Bremang stepped forward to take the penalty, but not before R’avan Constable had taken advice from the Cheshunt bench, good advice it was too, Bremang went to the keepers left & Constable was able to push the ball away to safety and retain the 0-0 scoreline. Cheshunt had Wilson Braithwaite & the returning Charlie Naylor to thank for constantly breaking up the home advances in midfield. Both sides made changes to influence the match just after the hour with Cheshunt’s being the more effective.  Donell Thomas gave balance to the Cheshunt attack & with Vasiliou on the opposite side the Ambers had options on both sides and made it pay. Lordon Akolbire overlapped Vasiliou more and Sam Granville’s ability to drive at the home defence started to peg them back and give the Ambers space to build. A Vasiliou cross saw Kenny Coker head just over & runs to the byeline from Thomas turned the defence round on several occasions. Dulwich resorted to more height bringing on fan favourite Danny Mills, Cheshunt countered with some height of their own, with 6 feet 6 inches of Jaheim Whyte ensuring Mills was well marked at set pieces and playing up front kept Michael Chambers the Dulwich centre half busy in his own half instead of joining attacks.

As the match entered time added on Cheshunt attacked on the left, a cross into the box was cut out by the hand of Chambers with a deliberate move to block, and gave the well positioned referee an easy decision.  The home side picked up two yellow cards trying to delay the spot kick as first Kresniqi feigned injury laying down on the penalty spot, and then keeper Dillon Barnes couldn’t decide where he had left his water bottle, hats off to the referee for taking swift action to put their shenanigans to bed.  Throughout this delay wise head Darion Furlong had scooped up the ball and wandered around with it tucked under his arm, waiting for Barnes to settle on his line before handing it to the Cypriot Messi, Vas Vasiliou, to place on the spot.  The 2800 crowd held their breath, the Dulwich bench desperately signalled “he’s going to your left”, and the calmest man in the ground stepped up and sent Barnes the other way to secure The Ambers a fine away win, and a much appreciated three points.

Vas Vasiliou shoots home from the spot for his 14th goal of the season.

Photos courtesy of Amy Eve Photography,  more action pictures available here