East Dulwich Sporting Crabs 4-1 Wimbledon Town B
Curtis, Montejo, Weyell, Chatham
MOTM – Macintyre
New Crabs manager James Coventry has made his side hard to beat since taking over but he’s also struggled to find the winning formula. Three of their five pre-season friendly ended level and it was no shock that the opening day of the season saw another stalemate. It’s unsurprising Coventry has made the Crabs resolute and defensively sound as he aims to build the team in his own image. However, they came into Sunday’s game with only one point from a possible six after losing 2-1 to Kew Antigua in the manager’s absence in their second game.
The Crabs were able to field a near enough full strength team with Ian Armstrong as a lone striker supported by wingers Oladapo and Montejo, the latter looking to add to his first league goal after last week’s strike. Coventry picked a deliberately defensive central midfield to counteract the forward thinking front line picking himself alongside Dan Montejo with Liam Macintyre slightly further forward. The back four was made up of Gibson at left back, Curtis at right back and the solid pairing of skipper James Palmer and David ‘Big D’ Akinde at centre back. Dean Ashmore of course was in-between the sticks.
The Crabs might be familiar with Wimbledon Town but since they last met the team had grew so big that they’d formed two teams. There weren’t too many familiar faces in the Town line-up so the home side didn’t know what to expect. Coventry wasn’t going to allow any complacency early on and Liam McIntyre epitomised this with his domination in the middle of the park, flying into 50 50s and using his body well. He was backed up by his henchmen Coventry and Montejo who looked to give the Wimbledon midfielder no time to breathe.
Neither side created many chances early on though as Palmer and Akinde dealt with the few dangers that slipped through the impervious midfield. At the other end Armstrong was lacking service but still managed a few chipped efforts from range as the Scouser tried to find his range. The Crabs two key creative forces, Riccardo Montejo and David Oladapo struggled to get into the game early on but the team remained patient as they began to dominate the game. And whilst the front three began to look more dangerous it was an unlikely scorer that put the home team in the lead as Dom Curtis pounced on a loose ball to fire home like a striker as he volleyed past the rooted goalkeeper. This was Curtis’ first goal since his heroic brace at the same ground last season.
The Crabs looked more assured after taking the lead and fort he first time this season they had a bit of swagger as Ric Montejo began to get the better of his marker down the right. There were a few scares down the other end as the defence began to switch off as half time neared. Fortunately Wimbledon Town were unable to take their chances and The Crabs went into the break with the one goal advantage.
Wimbledon Town returned the field more fired up but in-fighting seemed to be distracting a couple of players and the calmer more settled home side smelt blood. It wasn’t long before Montejo doubled his goal tally in spectacular fashion. Seemingly out of nowhere the Crabs talisman controlled a Gibson pass with his chest before hitting the volley as he spun, catching the keeper off guard. The ball rocketed into the top corner from distance as Montejo got to his knees, his teammates crowding him in disbelief.
With a seemingly comfortable 2-0 lead Coventry decided to shuffle his pack, introduced Steven Clarke for David Oladapo, James Chatham for Dan Montejo and Stuart Wood for David Gibson. Shortly after the multiples changes Wimbledon Town found a way back but it was against the run of play after a couple of indecisive pieces of defending from the otherwise solid back four. The goal gave the away side a sense of belief but The Crabs stuck in and weathered the storm to see the game out.
And see the game out they did as Liam Macintyre made it three with a free header from a James Palmer corner. The midfielder deserved but didn’t deserve the injury he picked up shortly after as he twisted his ankle whilst turning in the middle of the field. The Crabs didn’t stop at three as well as substitute Chatham flicked the ball on the half way line only to notice no-one was running onto it. Knowing he was onside the tricky midfielder charged forward onto his own pass confusing the Wimbledon defenders who looked to the referee. Chatham wasn’t having any of it as he ran through and finished on his second go to round off a comfortable 4-1 victory for The Crabs.
The Daily Crab 