By Simeon Wright
Dulwich Hamlet midfielder Giovanni McGregor knows that results and performances must improve if the dream of National League South promotion is to be realised this season.
McGregor, 23, has been a mainstay in the Hamlet midfield since joining permanently from Crystal Palace in Autumn 2020 and is admired by supporters as a player who likes to dictate play from deep, as well as for his ability to deliver dangerous set-pieces.
Gavin Rose’s side lost 3-1 at home to Chelmsford City at another sold-out but bounced back to win 2-1 at Slough Town on Tuesday night to go from tenth to eighth, a point outside the play-offs.
The midweek win was just their second in eight league games this year as they have slipped out of the play-off places.
McGregory spoke with honesty to the News after the Chelmsford game as he demanded improvement ahead of their trip to Slough.
“Right now the mood in the camp is a bit down,” McGregor said. “We all know our standards right now aren’t good enough.
“We need to get our heads together and go back to [our] usual standards.
“At 1-1 we feel like we were the better team and had control, but they were hitting us on the break too much. Maybe we were a bit too expansive and once they get the extra lead they sit back.
“They had a defensive game-plan and stuck to it.”
Dulwich top scorer Danny Mills equalised late in the first half after Clarets forward Dara Dada-Anite had put the visitors ahead.
But second-half strikes from Dan Imray and a dubious penalty award, which allowed Charlie Sheringham to make it 3-1 to Chelmsford, consigned the Hamlet to back-to-back defeats.
Another sell-out crowd at Champion Hill is every proof that the mood among the club’s fan base is as high as ever, as Dulwich embark on a first ‘run-in’ for three seasons following successive curtailments in 2019-20 and 20-21.
McGregor is certainly grateful for the support and hopes the team can give everybody a memorable end to the campaign.
McGregor added: “The aim of the season is to get promoted and we have a good enough group to get promoted, so every game now will be a final.
“It’s time to push on.
“I definitely notice [the crowd] when I’m out on the pitch, you can’t block it out. There’s 3,000 here every week. Hopefully we can get back to putting in good performances.”
Dulwich are away at Billericay on Saturday. Kick-off is 3pm.
Image: @robavis