Dulwich Hamlet vs Norwich City 18/08/24

[DHFC_Programmes]

This is the big one, our first game in the Women's National League SE and we drew one of the biggest games of the season as our opener

Sunday 2PM | Champion Hill

A Champions Special programme has been produced for this game inc. an interview with Erin, Ceylon and Summer where they talk about winning the league!

 

[Pink Panther]

Hamlet scored first and last, through Lucy Monkman and Asia Harbour-Brown, in an entertaining 3-2 defeat. Despite the result, our team held their own in their first game at a higher level, against strong opponents who lost only once in this division last season while finishing runners up to Wimbledon. The attendance was an excellent 814, with a fair number in the familiar canary yellow of the visitors.

I'd never heard our previous league referred to as "the LASERWaffle" before (London And South East Regional Women's league) before reading today's programme, in which the chairman appealed for a similar acronym to avoid having to say FA Women's National League Division One South East. The best I can come up with is the FAWN(dabi)DOSEy.

 

[scousedom]

I’d take the positives from that. Losing by a goal to perhaps the best side in the division, without Summer Roberts and with a fair few new players across the attack… it bodes well. And losing the first game last year didn’t do us any harm.

That said, I don’t think it was an unfair result. We were posed a problem that no side asked of us last year - being pressed from the edge of our own area by a side eager and able to cut out passing lanes. And we just struggled to get out - we didn’t have large chunks of possession in their half to nearly the extent they did in ours. They were aided in this by being physically a big side; I hope this division isn’t going to be like when the men’s side got promoted into a division of grocks.

Was surprised at 814, felt more, thought it was nudging 1000.

Also, forgot to get a programme - are they available online or at subsequent games?

 

[Roger D]

Women's programmes were added to the online archive last season and presumably will be this season. Not immediately though, there's usually a delay before they appear.

 

[Pink Panther]

Norwich manager's assessment:

 

[scousedom]

Norwich manager's assessment:

Their left winger (the extremely tall one!) commented to someone a few down from me on the touchline how great it was to have a big crowd singing - “you don’t get it at our level”. She seemed genuinely pleased.

I think we’ll surprise a few this year for atmosphere. And while I doubt we’ll get any away games switched to men’s stadia this season, if we stay in the division maybe that will come next year.

 

[Pink Panther]

I think we’ll surprise a few this year for atmosphere. And while I doubt we’ll get any away games switched to men’s stadia this season, if we stay in the division maybe that will come next year.

I was having a look at the fixtures for the "big" clubs (i.e. those with Football League stadia) to see whether they've nominated any changes from their default venues yet. QPR have already switched their games against Cambridge and Norwich to Loftus Road, so I guess that's it. I've only been to Loftus Road once, for a rugby league international about 20 years ago. It was pretty mediocre by modern standards, mostly rebuilt in the 1970s with cramped seats and inadequate legroom for anyone bigger than a primary school child. The league website gives their home venue for all other matches as The Skyex Stadium, which is Hayes & Yeading United FC. This is a modern non-league ground a bit like Champion Hill, with a big stand and little else, but not even a few steps of terrace or any standing cover at all as far as I'm aware. It's also in an industrial estate in the middle of nowhere, well over a mile from any station and at least half a mile from the nearest bus stop.

Cambridge and Norwich are still showing all theirs at St Neots and The Nest respectively. Our trip to Cambridge is only 5 weeks away and by all accounts St Neots is a pretty good non-league ground right next to the station, although Cambridge is obviously the better trip for a day/weekend out.

 

[DHFC_Programmes]

Also, forgot to get a programme - are they available online or at subsequent games?

Hi Dom, can you PM me on here with your email address and I will wing a PDF version over to you.

 

[DHFC_Programmes]

Norwich manager's assessment:

I am a new fan of this guy!

 

[DHFC_Programmes]

Women's programmes were added to the online archive last season and presumably will be this season. Not immediately though, there's usually a delay before they appear.

Yes, we are making all our programmes online but delaying so as not to harm our match day sales. So this season they will be going up four times per season. We will also be looking at a season subscription where everyone who subscribes gets sent a PDF version of programme on the morning of the game.

 

[Pink Panther]

Highlights finally up: