Hamlet v Folkestone Invicta (Isthmian League) Tuesday 11th February 2025

[Pink Panther]

Another vital home league game this Tuesday. I noticed it was mistakenly listed for two weeks time in Saturday's programme, which isn't exactly the best way to maximise the attendance for a rare midweek home game, but it's definitely the 11th as evidenced by today's Blue Sky post:



The Folkestone squad includes a number of ex-Hamlet players in Nathan Green, Ade Yusuff, Dan Smith and Marvel Ekpiteta.

 

[editor]

Thanks for flagging this up - I'll try and come along.

 

[KPMG]

If they get a goal each it means we’ve got to score 5

 

[editor]

And on the eve of the match:

Club Statement: Paul Stanton

Club Statement from Folkestone Invicta

folkestoneinvictafc.co.uk

 

[Pink Panther]

Official match preview:

PREVIEW | Dulwich Hamlet vs Folkestone Invicta | 11/02/25

The Hamlet host Folkestone Invicta this evening at Champion Hill boosted by their first 3 points of 2025. David Bremang bagged a brace and a...

dulwichhamletfc.co.uk

 

[Pink Panther]

Porter for Hansson on the bench is the only change from Saturday:

 

[bkbk]

Strong Invicta team

 

[EDC]

Brutal first half, everyone getting stuck in. Wonderful stuff, one nil up.

 

[Pink Panther]

We could easily be 3-0 up at half time again. Wasted a penalty (Bremang) which the keeper saved, as well as two follow up attempts, then an inswinging free kick from Hudson sailed over the keeper's head and rebounded from the inside of the post leading to a mad scramble on the line that Folkestone somehow cleared to safety. The opposition is clearly much stronger than Saturday, but we're more than holding our own.

 

[Pink Panther]

2-0 Mills 57mins, liquid football.

 

[bkbk]

Excellent stuff

Not been a lot this season but that was far the best

 

[Pink Panther]

Full time 2-1, Folkestone scored a consolation in the 6th of 6 additional minutes. Play continued for about another 60 seconds, in which time they barely touched the ball, so a more comfortable win than 2-1 suggests in the end. We now look a totally different side under Brad, in a very good way.

 

[lwrs79]

Great win and thoroughly deserved. So much better in every aspect of the game. Players standing up, working their socks off and I thought their concentration was excellent, they never switched off.

Think we restricted a strong Folkestone to 1 chance all game and the formation really suited the players.

Well done to Brad and the team for the impact they’ve had quickly and onto Hastings full of confidence..

 

[Trimmy]

That was a cracking night out. My last game was New Years day, not the same team at all. And the pre-match playlist featuring Volbeat was unreal, never thought I'd hear that in general public. Love Dulwich, utterly unpredictable.

 

[EDC]

Loved that, eleven players getting stuck in, can’t ask for more.

 

[Pink Panther]

Everyone worked incredibly hard, especially in protecting our goal whenever we came under any sort of pressure. We didn't really look like conceding a goal, and when Folkestone eventually got one right at the end it felt like quite a surprise to me. The work ethic was epitomised by Bremang and Kaunda, who each prevented Folkestone from clearing the ball long by chasing down defenders in the final third in stoppage time, restricting them to taking throws deep in their own half when they might otherwise have been counterattacking.

An unexpected tactical switch was swapping the wing backs to their "wrong" side. Hudson in particular thrived in attacking situations on the right, repeatedly turning inside to cross or shoot with his left foot. It was his blocked shot that led to the first goal, his chipped pass from right to left to set up the second, and he also hit the post with a free kick that appeared to be intended as a cross and really ought to have been forced over the line by teammates in the goalmouth.

We also had the ball in the net a third time when a goalbound Bremang shot was blocked by the hand of a retreating defender (apparently accidentally) and dropped for kaunda to fire into the net, but the flag went up for what looked a very tight offside call.

 

[editor]

Goal!

 

[Pink Panther]

Interview with the management:



First time I've heard Lionel speak and I think he comes across very well. He had half a season with us as a player immediately before the pandemic of course, then moved to Welling when Brad was manager there, so they've worked together before. After winding down his playing career with a couple of Isthmian League North clubs, he joined Aveley as assistant manager at the start of last season when they were newly promoted to National South and turned out to be the surprise package in qualifying for the play-offs.

 

[Multigums]

Full time 2-1, Folkestone scored a consolation in the 6th of 6 additional minutes. Play continued for about another 60 seconds, in which time they barely touched the ball, so a more comfortable win than 2-1 suggests in the end. We now look a totally different side under Brad, in a very good way.

Football is a game of two halves except at Champion Hill where it's extended to 100 mins to allow the opposition time to score

 

[Multigums]

Should have been more - Didn't get a great view but that Green tackle in first half was at least a yellow if not straight red for endangering opponent - not even a talking to from ref. Did he book Barnes for timewasting?

 

[Pink Panther]

Should have been more - Didn't get a great view but that Green tackle in first half was at least a yellow if not straight red for endangering opponent - not even a talking to from ref. Did he book Barnes for timewasting?

It was probably a more dangerous tackle than the one that got Ross Marshall sent off at Horsham. I don't think the referee even gave a free kick, I'm sure he gave us a throw. It was a typical Nathan Green tackle, just launched himself like a long jumper, taking ball and man together. He's only just come back from more than a year out with an ACL injury. Barnes got a yellow card for a barely discernible piece of timewasting at a goal kick. Bremang also got one for dissent/timewasting, picking the ball up after being penalised for a marginal foul, then dropping it right next to an opponent about 3 yards away. The only significant stoppage I recall was the unfortunate injury to Ade Yusuff, so I'm not sure where the referee got his 6 minutes plus from.

 

[editor]

Pics!

In photos: Dulwich Hamlet leap six points above the relegation zone after 2-1 win over Folkestone Invicta, Tues 11th Feb 2025

Last night, Dulwich Hamlet comfortably defeated Folkestone Invicta, bagging three points that saw them rise to 16th in the league table.

www.brixtonbuzz.com

 

[El Matador]

Much more of a blood and thunder performance than Saturday's but equally impressive. Folkestone were a very physical side and we did well to stand up to that and not be bullied out of the game.

Until their goal, I can't think of a decent chance Folkestone created, whereas we could easily have scored 4 or 5.

Amazing turnaround in such a short space of time. First time in a long time that it's felt we're heading in the right direction.

 

[Pink Panther]

Proper match highlights have returned!