Wig Army 0-3 East Dulwich Sporting Crabs
Dalman, Palmer, Armstrong
MOTM – Curtis
With usual correspondent David Gibson resting a knock to the ankle, understudy reporter Dominic Curtis picks up the editorial duties for this week.
A cold, damp January morning saw the Crabs return to League action away to Wig Army. Raring to go after last week’s postponement and eager to put cup disappointment behind them, an attacking line-up took to the field at Wimbledon Common Extensions.
First-half line up.
Dalman, making his first start since his injury lay-off partnered Armstrong up front as Crabs went back to the 4-4-2 formation that served them well last season. Weyell returned from his Winter break to partner Coventry in the centre of midfield and the youngsters Daughtry Junior and Farrell were preferred to the more experienced Daughtry Senior and Wood on the flanks. Curtis, McIntyre, Hutchings and Pearson made up the back four, with Ashmore as usual between the sticks.
It was Wig Army who made the brighter start. An early ball over the top forced a corner which, as the Crabs have learnt the hard way, is where the Wigs are at their most dangerous. This time though, the Crabs defence remained resolute with a towering defensive header setting the tone for things to come.
The Crabs took the lead with their first real attack of the match. A neat passing move resulted in Dalman being slipped through on goal and the striker showed that his absence had not diminished his finishing instincts as he rifled a low shot across the keeper and into the far corner.
This early breakthrough settled the Crabs and they soon began to knock the ball around with their customary style. Some neat passing interchanges asked questions of the Wig Army back-line but they just about managed to find the answer with a couple of last-ditch interceptions and tackles snuffing out some promising Crabs’ attacks.
A painful looking injury to Gabe Daughtry in one of his first starts for the Crabs threatened to disrupt the Crabs momentum. The youngster was forced off, replaced by his brother Ben who slotted seamlessly into the right of midfield. The Crabs were able to maintain their stranglehold on possession even if a second goal still proved elusive.
The only moment of defensive drama came when a high foot in the box saw Wigs awarded an indirect free-kick rather than the penalty they demanded. This kind of situation usually leads to a classic Sunday league goalmouth scramble, but again the Crab’s defence stood firm, with Hutchings blocking the shot with his face.
Tempers flared shortly before half-time when a late challenge by Coventry saw him cautioned but it was the Crabs who went in the happier team at the break. The half time message was very much to keep going. Keep passing, keep pressing and keep working at the same rate and the Crabs knew that they were in with a strong possibility of earning their first victory over Wig Army.
Second-half line up.
The second half followed a similar pattern. Early Wig Army pressure was seen off by the Crabs who then began to impose themselves on the game. Shortly before the hour mark however, the Crabs were dealt a blow when Dalman went down with a recurrence of the knee injury that has seen him miss almost half the season. The striker was unable to continue, forcing Pearson into a tactical reshuffle. Wood came on and switched to the right with Daughtry Snr. moving up top to support Armstrong.
Crabs weren’t overly affected by this set back and continued to have the better of the game. Daughtry intercepted a loose back pass and crossed to Weyell whose shot was cleared off the line. The rebound fell to Wood who fired straight at the keeper.
Rather than sit back and protect the lead Pearson made his a final attacking change, bringing on Palmer to replace Farrell. The centre-forward made an instant impact.
The Crabs won the ball on the edge of their own box and launched a rapid counter attack. Palmer was played through on goal and found himself one on one with the Wig’s keeper. His first effort was well saved but the rebound fell kindly for him to slot into an empty net and double the lead.
With clear daylight between the teams the Crabs were happy to sit back and absorb the pressure, trusting their defensive resolve and some smart handling by Ashmore to keep the Wig Army attack at bay.
Weyell and Coventry both picked up knocks but were forced to soldier on as all substitutions had been made. McIntyre was brought into the midfield to assist the wounded midfield pairing, with Palmer shifted into the back line.
The Wig Army front line was still getting no change out of the Crabs’ defence and it was the Crabs who would have the final word. Another counter saw Daughtry slip the ball to Weyell who turned inside the defender and shot. The keeper again made a smart save only to see the rebound land at the feet of Armstrong who tapped into an open goal completing a return to the goals for the Dalman-Armstrong ‘DNA’ partnership (picked up from the touch-line by strike-partner George Dalman, below). The linesman raised his flag but the referee, obviously familiar with the tale of the Boy who Cried Wolf, overruled him and the goal stood. There was barely any time for play to restart before the final whistle brought an end to proceedings.
Manager Pearson will have been delighted with the way his team stuck to their game plan, limiting their opponent’s opportunities to get set pieces into the box, as well as with some of the football his side played in the challenging conditions. They will look to build on this performance next week away to South London Football Network.
The Daily Crab 