U15C team concede late equaliser in well-matched 1-1 draw
By Alastair White
A cold and windy day greeted the Hampton U15C team, as they lined up against Dulwich College.
From the kick off, both teams were playing good passing football, but it looked like Hampton had the edge. Some composed defending from right-back Anuj Srivastav and centre-back Freddie Hunt enabled Hampton to have more of the possession. Great passing play enabled Hampton to move forward, and Dulwich were slightly on the back foot.
After the opening 10 minutes, Dulwich began to grow into the game. The attacks on both sides were struggling to break through, and the game was largely being played in the midfield. It was beginning to become a stalemate, until Hampton midfielder Dimitri T sprung to life. Some great defending won Hampton the ball, leading to a great attacking pass out to the left. The left-winger, Alastair White, cut back and switched the play back to the midfield. A great ball to the other winger, Fahad Hussain, left him with the space to drive forward and play a delectable cross to the edge of the box. Dimitri, the very player who started the move, arrived at the edge of the box to calmly place the ball into the top left of the Dulwich net. A great team goal for Hampton, which left them 1-0 up.
After the goal, the game slowed down as half time approached. As the second half began, the same football was being played. Both sides were scrapping tenaciously, but Dulwich were growing into the game. The final 15 minutes saw the momentum swing in Dulwich’s favour, and the Hampton defence began to struggle.
A string of corners for the opposition and a few long shots brought the game into its final five minutes. A powerful dribble from the Dulwich midfielder, put him in a great shooting position. The shot was powerful, and in an attempt to block the header, Hampton defender Hunt flicked the shot over the Hampton keeper and into the Hampton net. 1-1 in the last attack of the game.
Incredibly unfortunate for Hunt and the whole Hampton U14C team, but well played to Dulwich and many would argue that a draw was a fair result.
