Over the next few weeks Brixton Blog will feature a series of articles on the progress of a plucky, Southern Sunday Football League team known as the East Dulwich Sporting Crabs. Brixton resident David Gibson, renowned for his “consistent, mediocre performances as a left-back or right-back” for the Crabs, will share his musings on the team’s highs and lows, and the occasional broken nose caused by a flying header.
Here Gibson, who edits The Daily Crab, shares his reflections on the team’s recent match against the South London Football Network.
If the South London Football Network fans were singing ‘can we play you every week?’ last Sunday then they seem to have got their wish as the Division 3 favourites faced our very own Crabs for the second time in seven days. The fixture was officially a home game but with the condition of their West Dulwich pitch, the game was rescheduled to Peckham Rye meaning that there’d be no fresh prints on Belair. The Crabs must be cursing their luck as their two fixtures with the Network have come at a time that you’d find more Crabs in the Dulwich Hospital waiting room than Southwold bay. Key man Weyell once again in attendance but still not fit to play, also missing was the influential Ben Daughtry from centre mid and the deadly strike force of Ali Dewji and George Dalman. With more than three quarters of their goals coming from these players it’s no surprise that East Dulwich have only managed three goals in their last four games.
The Crabs invited Dave back between the sticks after his only other appearance coming in the first game of the season in the cup. Ali Dewji and John Martin started at full back with Adam Hutchings and Michael Garvin in the middle. The midfield featured a couple of defenders with Dan making his third appearance but this time in centre mid whilst Gibson started out of position on the right. Ben Swindells and James Coventry completed the four man midfield as Captain Sam Pearson took the initiative and pushed himself forward to play just off ‘Big Ash’.
The game was brought to a halt after a matter of seconds as The Crabs bad luck continued. Ever present midfielder Coventry clashed heads with South London’s towering centre forward but quite how their heads collided with such a height difference is beyond me. One thing was for sure though and that was that Cov’s game was over before it had even begun. Luckily it wasn’t Coventry’s head but more his nose that took the blow from the striker. While his team mates looked on concerned as it isn’t normally until Coventry gets into the final third that he gets a nosebleed, I shook my head knowing that Coventry still just pipped me to the most appearances title this season, albeit this one lasting 26 seconds. On came John Sutton the third (one of the many proud family members baring the name) for the bloody James Coventry (pictured below).
Similar to last week’s meeting The Crabs started well. Big Ash was winning the aerial duels whilst Pearson and Gibson were having a lot of the ball down the right. The Crabs even managed to carve out some good opportunities with Swindells bursting into a one-on-one situation only to be foiled by the excellent Network goalkeeper. Big Ash also managed to get one on one after a powerful run only to scuff the ball into the keeper’s hands. If there’s one thing The Crabs knew about their opponents before today’s game, it’s that a good performance means nothing unless you put the ball in the back of the net. Just like last week South London got better as the game went on.
South London took control of the game and dominated possession which meant The Crabs had to work hard all over the pitch. With Big Ash as their main outlet, the ball over the top seemed to be preferred as opposed to their usual patient build up. South London on the other hand were direct yet purposeful, but still failed to beat Dave in the East Dulwich goal. It could easily have been 1-0 at half-time if it weren’t for the heroics of former Peckham resident Mike Garvin. Back on his old stomping ground, Garvin was keen to show the area what it was missing. Garvin (now of nearby Nunhead) raced behind his keeper to clear the ball before the Network’s striker could poke it into the net.
At half-time the game was a stalemate with The Crabs the happier of the two teams although they knew they could easily have notched one or two. The defence had been tight and while their opponents had grown with confidence, it was by no means a one-sided game. Coventry had stayed to watch like a trooper although some had advised he rush to A and E to check on his possibly broken nose.
South London continued their ascent in the second half as they began to apply even more pressure on the Crabs goal. East Dulwich’s supply was running low for Big Ash who was fighting for any scraps he could on the dry, rye-like surface. Whenever the ball was picked up in midfield, the forward’s eyes lit up like he had seen an oasis appear in desert-like conditions, only to realise it was merely a mirage as the ball flew over his head or out for a throw.
East Dulwich had not been defending corners well throughout the game and they inevitably paid the price as the Network’s target man sent a strong header goalwards and past the keeper. Once again it seemed hard work just wasn’t enough to beat South London and whilst no one could deny The Crabs had given 110%, the goal had been coming since the beginning of the half.
Crabs manager John Martin decided to substitute himself for Stu Wood, who replaced Gibson on the right allowing the balding Geordie to take up a more familiar left-back spot. Wood brought fresh legs to the midfield and the Greens seemed to gain a new lease of life as they went in search of an equaliser. The substitute then had one of the best chances of the half as he hooked the ball just past the post – it was great to see Wood work to try a shot that no one thought would work, just fly past the wood work.
Big Ash continued to battle with the centre-backs but South London were pragmatic in their approach and shifted their imposing centre-forward to the back four to keep things tight in the later stages of the game. South London also brought on some fresh legs to test the back four and it all seemed too much for this week’s cover star Ali Dewji. After a much hyped week for the number 10 it seemed the pressure had been weighing heavy on his back. With roughly fifteen minutes remaining the 35-year-old stumbled to the ground unchallenged holding his back, was this either another Dewji dive or a serious injury.
Once again The Crabs looked on as one of their players lay in the mud declaring their day was over. Ali seemed to suffer some sort of back spasm meaning he could barely stand up straight. He then had to suffer the indignity of walking, ironically, like a crab to the side of the pitch with the help of his captain Pearson. Dewji received a standing ovation after a solid game at full-back but it seems his comments regarding legs going at 35 was turning into an unfortunate prediction as opposed to a throw away joke about his age.
So The Crabs were in a familiar situation, ten men and missing key players. Pearson switched the formation meaning the defence was made up of Garvin, Hutchings and Gibson as the rest of the players bombed forward looking for a goal. Martin and Weyell discussed how they could further switch things up to try and break down the Network defence and Martin decided to throw Garvin up top and bring Pearson into the back three perhaps hoping the centre-back’s height would at least put some pressure on the opposing defenders. There was still time for a few chances. It was close, but no cigar. Speaking of cigars it was important to mention that whilst Chris Taylor has been chilling in Cuba the Crabs have failed to pick up a win. Is this a coincidence? It probably is.
The game came to an end and although it was an improved scoreline on last week’s 2-0 defeat, The Crabs’ heads were down. Four games without a win says it all about their recent form without key men Weyell and Dalman in particular. Only three goals in four games paints a sorry picture of a team lacking in firepower but on the flipside The Crabs have only conceded six which in four games is actually quite impressive for Sunday League. Whilst Big Ash was perhaps one of the star performers on Sunday, it was a lot to ask of a last minute signing to gel instantly against one of the league’s top sides.
With Garvin’s and Hutchings’ solid defensive display, and goalkeeper Dave proving he can be The Crabs catcher in the Rye, there were positives to be taken from the game. With South London now out of the way hopefully the East Dulwich Sporting Crabs can get back on track and end the season on a high.
Follow @SportingCrabs or visit http://sportingcrabs.webstarts.com/.
whats the reason with this normally?