HAMLET STAY TOP THANKS TO ALLASSANI BRILLIANCE
DULWICH withstood a strong second-half fightback from Brightlingsea thanks to two goals in four first-half minutes which maintained their two-point league lead.
Ashley Carew’s penalty and Reise Allassani’s solo stunner gave Dulwich the upper hand before Ricky Griggs halved the deficit right on half-time to spark the Essex club’s revival.
Dulwich were in the ascendancy throughout the opening half with play-maker Carew pulling the strings in midfield.
An early Carew free-kick was blocked on the edge of the sixyard box and for a spell the Regent defence held Hamlet in check.
But that all changed on the half-hour when Carew’s corner was handled by visiting skipper Matt Cripps in the box.
Carew despatched the resultant spot-kick high into the top corner.
Another Carew corner then slipped through the Regent keeper Harry Palmer’s grasp but came to nothing.
However, on 34 minutes, Allassani received possession 30 yards out, beat two defenders and drove past Palmer to double Hamlet’s lead.
Allassani might have added another but delayed getting Marc Weatherstone’s cross to the back post under control and the chance was lost.
Regent had been second best but were thrown a lifeline right on half-time.
Full-back Griggs advanced down the right and let fly from 20 yards with a left-foot shot which flew past Hamlet keeper Preston Edwards and in off the post.
Two half-time substitutions, to match Hamlet’s shape, led to a much-improved Regent performance which began to seize the initiative.
Edwards tipped over Josh Gould’s goalbound header from Jake Turner’s 54th-minute corner and later went full length to block Cripps’ 20-yarder.
In between, Palmer did well to push Carew’s free-kick around the post. Dulwich were dangerous on the break as both Allassani and Kenny Beaney went close.
But Regent kept going until the end, with late headers from Phil Kelly and James Love clearing the bar.
Dulwich boss Gavin Rose told
The NLP: “I was pleased with the win, especially the tempo and control we showed in the first half.”
Meanwhile, Brightlingsea’s boss Tim Rothery was full of praise for his team’s comeback.
“The first half was very tough for us,” he said. “But I changed the shape at half-time and I thought we played well enough after the break to nick a point.”