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The fine blend of malleable mud and very long, tough grass was never going to be conducive to fast-paced, free-flowing football and at times each game descended into a war of attrition to just get the ball (and feet) moving. However, it was AFCL who played the better football in both games. In the first Monty set the tempo from the start and won every challenge to set Creighton, Joe and Barney free again and again. One such play set Barney away and his shot was too powerful for the Dulwich ‘keeper. 1-0. Shortly after Barney hit the post with a cracking shot and Joe followed up the rebound with a hammer of a first time half-volley goal bound that the Dulwich defender, unfortunately (for him), got in the way. Dulwich did not look like scoring but a mix-up at the back (I’m blaming the mud) allowed an alert forward to toe-poke the ball home to bring half-time at 1-1.

In the second half the Carry On Strike Force, Sid (and) James, was unleashed. Sid chased down everything and defended from the front to help create chance after chance. George and Sam got forward in support to pin Dulwich back and it was one way traffic from whistle to whistle. James stuck two chances away neatly and the team began 2016 as they had finished 2015.

The second game was in a similar vein to the first. Creighton scored two very well taken goals, the first a fine curling shot into the top corner, early in the game and you sensed many more would follow. Monty, Barney and Joe all had good efforts but the ‘keeper kept them at bay. Again, to their credit Dulwich, created a chance from nothing and they won a penalty. Initially having his first effort saved the forward followed up to send the teams in at 2-1 to AFCL. Much the same in the second half as the Dulwich ‘keeper was kept busy but he was unable to keep Sid’s close range effort to replicate the first game’s score line.

For the record:

AFCL 3 v 1 Dulwich Village White

Dulwich Village White 1 v 3 AFCL