MATCH PREVIEW | THE HAMLET
In the penultimate round of matches in the National League South season, Dulwich Hamlet are the visitors to Meadowbank on May Day Bank Holiday Monday.
Dorking will be hoping to come into this game with the side relatively fresh and injury free after their visit to St Albans on Saturday. The Hamlet on the other hand are likely to be the fresher of the two as they did not feature over the weekend.
Dulwich Hamlet come into this clash in their worst form of the season, having been without a win in 10 league matches. Last time out they lost 2-0 away to Chippenham Town on 23rd April and their last three points was a 1-0 home win against Braintree on 26th February. They haven’t won any of their last six away league matches only have won four matches in the whole of 2022, which has put paid to their play-off hopes which were very much alive until the turn of the year.
Hamlet are managed by Gavin Rose and he is club’s longest serving manager, having been with the club since August 2009. He led the club through much of their non-league journey, including the Isthmian South title and beating Hendon on penalties in the Isthmian Premier Division final at the end of the 17/18 season to gain a place in National League South, where they have been ever since. The top scorer for the club this season is Danny Mills, who has 12 goals this season but has only scored two goals in his last 15 league appearances.
Dulwich Hamlet’s squad has plenty of EFL experience. Charlie Grainger is the only goalkeeper on the first team books and began his career at Leyton Orient before several loan spells saw him move to Dulwich in 2019. Full back Andre Blackman gained EFL experience at the likes of Blackpool and Crawley Town before moving to Dulwich. Jazzi Barnum-Bobb began his career at Cardiff City and has played EFL football with Newport County. Winger Jordan Green has played for Yeovil and Barnsley and midfielders Giovanni McGregor, James Dayton and forward Ibra Sekajja all started as trainees at Crystal Palace. Sekajja has a goal in the Championship to his name, coming off the bench to score an equaliser against Hull in 2011 to ensure a 1-1 draw and the Eagles survival that season. At 37, Michael Timlin is the oldest in the first team squad, but boasts experience at the likes of Swindon Town, Southend United and Stevenage. He has played well over 300 EFL games and began his career at Fulham.
Head-to-Head
It will be the sixth meeting between the sides competitively, the first of which being in the Bostik League Premier Division (now the Isthmian Premier Division) back in 2017. Dorking lost that clash 1-0 at Westhumble. Hamlet have won two of the five previous meetings and two have been 0-0 draws. The other was a win for Dorking at Champion Hill earlier this season, with one of Alfie Rutherford’s five hat tricks this season coming in the 3-1 win in January.