By Wilf MacDonnell at Champion Hill
Dulwich Hamlet ended a barren streak of eleven games without a win as they saw off Hemel Hempstead 2-1 at Champion Hill on the last day of the season.
A goal from the Hamlet’s top-scorer this season Danny Mills put the home side ahead before they doubled their lead through Andre Blackman’s first of the campaign early in the second half.
Hemel Hempstead did rally after Craig Fasanmade halved the deficit on the hour-mark, and Dulwich survived a late scare to claim all three points for a tenth-place finish in National League South, the highest in their history.
It was the eighth sell-out of the season at Champion Hill and the 3,384 in attendance saw the Hamlet start on the front foot. First Blackman, then Jordan Higgs raced in behind the opposition back-line but both over-hit their crosses with Mills stretching to reach them in the middle.
A lapse in concentration nearly cost the home side with the heavily involved Blackman not putting enough on his headed back-pass towards Charlie Grainger in the Hamlet goal. Josh Catiglione nipped in for the visitors but could only poke his effort straight at Grainger.
On the 20-minute mark it was Dulwich who took the lead. A short free-kick from Gio McGregor was initially dealt with, but the ball found its way back to McGregor on the corner of the box and his delightful cross to the back post was met emphatically by Mills who powered his header back across goal and in.
Hemel were dangerous from counter-attacks as first a clever reverse-pass from skipper Sam Mantom slipped in defensive midfielder Dominic Morgan-Griffiths but Grainger saved his curled attempt.
Then, a clever dummy from Hempstead top scorer Charlee Hughes in the middle of the park opened up space for Mantom to roll in the busy Castiglione only for his effort to deflect safely into the arms of Grainger.
The home keeper was in fine form again, and clearly his efforts in this campaign had not gone unnoticed among the Hamlet support as the 25-year-old was voted the fans’ player of the season.
Dulwich flew out the traps at the start of the second half. McGregor, who was excellent throughout, exploited the space in behind the away side’s defence once again. After some neat football in the middle of the park, McGregor threaded a ball through to Blackman and the left-back held off a couple of challenges before firing into the corner.
The home side looked fairly comfortable up until the 60th minute when they allowed their opponents back into the game. Hemel right-back Gus Scott-Morris whipped in a superb cross from nearer the halfway line than the Hamlet box, and the stooping Fasanmade flicked his header in at the near post.
Ibra Sekajja came off the bench for the Hamlet to put the home side back on the front foot and he kept Hempstead keeper Craig King on his toes with a couple of stinging efforts.
But it was another substitute, Alfie Cerulli, who nearly had the final say for the visitors. After looking sharp from his introduction, he finally got his chance in the last minute, rounding Grainger after a long ball fell kindly for him but an excellent tackle from Dulwich skipper Jack Holland denied him.
Dulwich finished above Hampton & Richmond on goal difference, eight points off the play-off places.
Dulwich: 4-3-3: Grainger; Higgs, Holland©, Taylor, Blackman; McGregor, Splatt (Ming, 83), Timlin; Green (Sekajja, 69), Mills, McQueen (Kandi, 69).
Substitutes not used: Dayton, Sterling.
Image: @robavis