The Terras looked to make it 3 away wins in a row, but it proved a tough ask after being reduced to 10 in the first half during a difficult evening at Champion Hill.
Hamlet came into this after not having played in two weeks and they were without Maidenhead loanee Temi Eweka after a red card last time out.
Bobby Wilkinson named an unchanged line up from the team who won 1-3 at Worthing as he looked to continue the fine run of form. Despite the players late arrival to SE5, both teams started the game with good energy and moved the ball with good intent during the first 30 minutes, although both teams failed to really get a hold on the game with possession evenly shared.
It was the hosts who threatened first with Hamlet’s Joe Felix hitting the side-netting on 24 minutes, after being deemed not to have fouled loanee Sesay in the build-up. Weymouth showed good build up play when in possession, but Dulwich were resolute in their defence limiting the visitors to few chances.
A great save from Oualah in the first half kept it level, which came after the foul conceded by Tom Bearwish, seeing him pick up the first yellow of the game after half an hour. Not long after, Bearwish was handed a second yellow after an attempt to go for the ball in the defensive third, leaving Weymouth with 10 men for the remainder of the game.
Tom Blair was moved slightly deeper whilst Dulwich maintained possession and looked to use their extra man and apply pressure for the remainder of the half, Weymouth worked hard as they looked towards half time as they went into the break at 0-0.
Weymouth came out and looked bright in the second half, with O’Connell making an impact down the left-hand side showing a good desire to get forward and take players on. Early on in the second half, Blair was unlucky his left footed volley from outside the box was narrowly wide.
As the half went on, naturally with 10 men Weymouth sat back and invited pressure with the hosts hitting the bar with a header following a short corner routine. Bar the odd tame pass, Dulwich maintained possession well and grew into the half whilst the Terras looked to keep them at bay.
After an injury to Sesay following a foul, whilst Sesay was receiving treatment off the pitch, the ball was worked down the vacant left side and passed square to Powell in the box who struck towards goal, Oualah did well to get a hand to the shot, but it bounced into the net putting Dulwich 1-0 up on 66 minutes, whilst Weymouth only had 9 on the pitch.
Dulwich grew in confidence after their goal, but Weymouth had been working hard to maintain their good shape and pressed well, Hamlet were susceptible to a tame pass, one of which led to Bradley Ash receiving the ball at pace in no man’s land, although he could not quite keep it in play as he tried to round the Hamlet keeper.
Weymouth worked hard to stay in the game managed to fashion some chances, around the 80th minute following a throw in on the right side, Blair dribbled inside and put a lovely ball into the box, but Bradley Ash could not guide his header on target. It was then in the 87thminute that Weymouth were undone down the right side with Sanchez Ming’s low cross into the box finding former Terra loanee Dan Smith to slot home sealing the game for the hosts.
The Terras could not make it 3 away wins from 3 after a difficult evening in South London, with seemingly nothing going the visitor’s way. But the boys cannot be faulted for the shift they put in and the side can now look forward to hosting 17th place Taunton at the Bob Lucas on Boxing Day.
