First half strikes from Lily Price and Martha Goddard helped Dulwich Hamlet beat Fulham FC Women and move top of the London and South Eastern Regional Premier Division at Champion Hill this evening. The Hamlet had to endure a nervy finale after Sophie Manzi diverted Megalie Mendes’ free-kick to give Fulham hope of a late fightback, but they held on for a precious three points.
The hosts, fired up by the chance to overhaul long-term pacesetters Dartford and tilt a tight promotion race in their favour, were on the front foot from the outset and Fulham’s defence struggled to survive an electric start from the hosts. Asia Harbour Brown sent a header agonisingly wide from a corner before Shakira Kafero-Roberts saw an effort superbly cleared off the line by Cat Beaver.
Dulwich’s dominance was rewarded just before the twenty minute mark when Price struck a sweet free-kick into the bottom corner and they could have easily extended their lead as the visitors looked all at sea at the back. Goddard guided a drive wide from outside the box before embarking on a mazy dribble that carried her through the visiting rearguard, but the midfielder’s cross eluded former Fulham forward Summer Roberts. Madi Parsonson, back on her old stomping ground, drew a smart save from Saskia Reeves-Priestley in a rare away attack as Steve Jaye’s side sought a response.
Erin Corrigan spurned a good chance to double the hosts’ advantage when he latched onto another precise Price set-play, but Dulwich grabbed the crucial second goal three minutes before the break. Kafero-Roberts surged into far too much space down the flank and produced a perfect cross for the impressive Goddard to tuck a finish past Frankie Gibbs to the delight of a passionate home crowd.
Fulham came close at the start of the second half when Manzi almost turned a terrific through ball from Mendes past Reeves-Priestley before Gibbs made a smart save to deny Read at the other end. The visitors’ approach play was much improved by the introduction of Isabel Taylor-Makepeace, who sent a snapshot wide, but Dulwich continued to carve out chances with Corrigan sending a header over the bar after losing her marker at a corner.
The Whites thought they had found a route back into the contest when Manzi’s scrambled effort appeared to have crossed the line, but the officials ruled that some desperate Dulwich defending had cleared the danger just in time. Manzi wasn’t to be denied three minutes from time when she turned in Mendes’ free-kick but, despite throwing numbers forward in stoppage time, Fulham couldn’t salvage a point.
DULWICH HAMLET WOMEN (4-4-2): Reeves-Priestley; Corrigan, Lodge, Harbour Brown, M. Searle; Saylor, Read, Price, Goddard; Roberts, Kafero-Roberts. Subs: Gall, Jowle, Reid, Searle, Crutwell.
GOALS: Price (19), Goddard (42).
FULHAM FC WOMEN (3-4-3): Gibbs; Dale, Beaver, Tagliavini; Mendes, Parsonson, Stormer, Lambird; Adamson, Heasman, Manzi. Subs: Parker, Southgate, Barron-Clark, Taylor-Makepeace, Olds.
GOAL: Manzi (87).
REFEREE: David Lofgren
ATTENDANCE: 642
