Couple of points from today. Myself and a friend who have attended numerous Dulwich games over the last three seasons were very put out by some of the chanting by the Clapton "section" during the second half. Songs about Mark Duggan and the aforementioned ACAB chant.... we were both of the opinion if that's what you believe that then fair enough, we live in a free democracy, but there is no need for it at football - end of.
I've no idea who they were, I don't recall seeing any of them before, but there was a group of people to the right of the goal in the second half near the hot dog stand repeatedly chanting A C A B, the meaning of which I had no idea until reading earlier posts here just now; then there was one bloke quite close to the main group of regular singers repeatedly attempting to start chants of "Can you hear the pigs sing". He tried it about every couple of minutes all through the half even though it was obvious no one else was interested. Frankly if this is the type of 'support' some people want to lend to our club I'd rather they stayed away. Fortunately they were more or less drowned out by the noisy support of the regulars, but it did nevertheless spoil the atmosphere for me.
Personally I go to Hamlet games to enjoy myself, and it's great to have so many newer supporters getting into the Hamlet and getting behind the club and the team in such a positive way and enjoying themselves too. I'm not especially pro or anti Police, but unfortunately this particular fixture has become my least favourite fixture of the season, partly because MPFC is just a soulless nonentity of a club, partly because we never beat them and always seem to make their manager look like some sort of defensive tactical genius, but now also because of the distraction of part-timers turning up to rant about the Police. (It happened to a lesser extent with a much smaller crowd for last season's league match on a Tuesday night. I dread getting them at home again in the play offs; not for footballing reasons, as I'm sure we'll get the better of them sooner or later, and there's no reason why that shouldn't happen in a play-off match, but because I don't want the occasion and atmosphere polluted by hangers on who only seem interested in abusing the opposition.
The match itself. Another team shows up at Champion Hill who were very well organised and looking to hit us on the break. Thought the new striker Derry offered something we have missed since Clunis and Lodge have been injured - pace to get in behind & turn an opposite defence. Just a shame neither him, or Ottaway, got that one clear cut chance to score and open the game up. I do have one concern as we are head, touch word, for the play offs and that's when we don't have some with presence up front the opposition sides seem to dictate the play more. This certainly was the case the going into the last 25 minutes once both Ottaway and Derry went off. The only exception to this was injury time were we upped the pace for the first time in the match.... Anyway another point in the bag, and another great crowd - roll on Bognor next Saturday!
Pretty accurate summary for me. I think a fit Lodge and Clunis would make more difference than finding 'the right' number 9, unless of course we're lucky enough to land someone who's really a bit too good for this league.
The triple substitution midway through the second half was a bold move, but by the time the three replacements got into the game we'd almost run out of time. There seemed to be a few more misplaced passes than usual, which didn't help. The only real first half chance was a great snapshot from Dixon after a nice build up, which the keeper saved superbly at full stretch. In the second half there was a free kick from Carew that dipped over the wall and flashed just side of the post; then a great ball in from the right by Carew picked out McDonald, but his close range volley wasn't quite clean enough to get over the line before the keeper smothered it with the help of a defender.
We're playing all out bogey fixtures in a row right now: never even taken a point from a league game at Lewes in five visits, haven't beaten the Plod in eight league attempts under Gavin Rose (four draws, three of them goalless) and just two points from seven league matches with Bognor under Gavin.