Dulwich Hamlet 2 Lowestoft Town 0

Att 542

Teams:-
Dulwich Hamlet: Wilson, Boyer (Pinnock 58 mins, R James, Crook, Okoye (Adeniyi 46 mins), Gonsalves, Lodge, K James, Ottaway (Walker 71 mins), Oztumer, Green. Subs; Vines, Pinnock, Adeniyi, Walker, J James

Lowestoft Town: Jones, Williams, Crane, Gaughran (Woods-Garness), Haynes-Brown (Okay 71 mins), Gleeson, Lee Smith, Fisk (Frew 83 mins), Eagle, Henderson, Jack Ainsley. Subs; Frew, Okay, Woods-Garness, Stuart Ainsley, Cunningham

Lowestoft have a bad day at the office, kicking off the new season with a 2-0 defeat away to Dulwich Hamlet.

The team and supporters arrived at a lovely looking ground with the sun shining but with a handful of players having arguably their worst games for Lowestoft, it was a day to forget.

The match got underway with Lowestoft setting up with Gleeson in front of the back four in a 4-1-4-1 formation.
Lowestoft came out of the blocks quick and if not for an offside flag, Henderson would have opened the scoring after latching onto a lovely slide pass from Eagle.
Just a few minutes later though Lowestoft were presented the chance of getting an early lead with Henderson brushing the defence off well before being shoved to the ground by Okoye for a clear penalty. The cool figure of Gleeson stepped up but with a weakly placed effort to the left the keeper easily saved and a great chance was wasted for Lowestoft.
Lowestoft were looking comfortable though with Henderson not sticking to the left all the time and coming inside to cause early issues for Dulwich. Lowestoft were using the width of the pitch, stretching the game and passing well.
Jack Ainsley came close with a couple of chances; stretching but not able to get enough on the first effort to beat the keeper and then following that with another effort but not quite getting enough bend on a shot to trouble the keeper.
Lowestoft had looked comfortable in the first twenty minutes but with Dulwich starting to see possession and the Lowestoft defence looking on edge, the game changed.
Gleeson looked like he was still thinking over his penalty miss when confronted by Oztumer and with the small but well balanced midfielder getting the best of him he threaded a ball into the Lowestoft defence for one of his fellow players. Jones was alert though and got down bravely to stop the effort on goal but he could do nothing about the ball finding its way across the box and to Green in front of goal, to tap home and send Dulwich 1-0 ahead (25 mins). Dulwich were now looking quick on the ball, confident and hungry with Lowestoft disjointed and distinctly second best.
Dulwich nearly doubled their lead with some good work on the right by Lodge and a great ball in to find Green but Jones produced a fantastic fingertip save for Lowestoft to tip over the bar.
Williams was getting forward a lot down the right for Lowestoft but the team as a whole had been knocked out of their stride and with R James having the upper hand at left back against Lee Smith and Crook commanding the middle, Lowestoft looked like they needed halftime. With halftime approaching though things nearly got worse for Lowestoft, as a free-kick was sent forward by Dulwich and with the Lowestoft defence standing still Ottaway got a shot away, only to be denied by a super save from Jones.

Dulwich made a change during the break with Adeniyi replacing Okoye, as Lowestoft looked to start the half in the sane style that had started the first.
Jack Ainsley worked his way into the Dulwich area early on but keeper Wilson was down well, with his follow up only finding the side netting.
Lowestoft were then dealt a helping hand by Dulwich goalscorer Green, lashing out after a tackle with a punch to the stomach of Fisk and receiving a straight red from the referee with just under ten minutes of the second period gone.
Dulwich were not phased though and went right up the other end, forcing Crane into a great tackle to block an effort from close in.
The game was getting a bit niggly, stopping and starting regularly but with Lee Smith showing some great work in the corner he found Henderson, who worked a shot away close in but was denied by the keeper, who's save saw the ball behind.
It was looking like one of those days for Lowestoft with some below par performances dotted around the team and with Haynes-Brown having to be helped off injured and replaced by Okay in the 71st minute, things were looking ominous. At the same time Lowestoft introduced Woods-Garness for Gaughran, as they tried to manufacture a leveller in the match.
During the Lowestoft changes Dulwich also made a change with Ottaway replaced by Walker and with his first sighting of the ball he got round the back of the Lowestoft defence and with Crane coming across and hauling him down it was the turn of Dulwich from the penalty spot. Up stepped Oztumer and hammered the ball hard and low to the right of Jones for 2-0 and to leave Lowestoft in big trouble (73 mins).
Lowestoft were looking second best but a glimmer of hope appeared as Woods-Garness stole into the box but Wilson saved to deny him and Lowestoft any hope.
Frew came on for Fisk and Henderson sent a glancing header wide from an Eagle free-kick towards the end but the Dulwich goal stayed intact until the final whistle.

The result was a fair one and even though Dulwich Hamlet had not pulled up any trees, Lowestoft were out of sorts and with the defence and a few players having their worst game for some time, Tuesday can't come soon enough to bounce back.

For Dulwich, Crook and Oztumer stood out. While for Lowestoft, Eagle was the only outfield player to trouble Dulwich and the Man of the Match Ashlee Jones made a couple of very good saves to keep the Trawlerboys in it.

I caught up with today's Man of the Match Ashlee Jones for a brief chat after the game:-
Not really the start to the season you were looking for, as we seemed to play well for the first twenty minutes but then lost our way a bit? "Yeah, I think we played well in the first twenty minutes and if we'd have taken a few of our chances I think they would have crumbled to be honest. They got their tales up early on and kept on working harder than us".
Was it tough out there with the really hot weather also? "It was very hot and probably the hottest day we've played lately and it takes some getting used to. We've got so much more and the players believe in themselves and so do the management, so we will turn this around next game".
On a personal front you must be happy, as you pulled off a couple of really good saves today? "Obviously I'm happy but if I lose there's no point really. I'm happy with my performance though and it's a good way to start".

Attention now turns to Tuesday at home to Thamesmead Town in a game in which the players will no doubt be eager to shake off today's result.

Terry Bullen