Dulwich Hamlet unlucky to lose 3-1 at home as the Billericay Town circus rolls into Champion Hill

Dulwich Hamlet lost 3-1 at home to Billericay Town on Saturday in match which many fans will be pleased to get out of the way.

Much has been made of the ramped up rivalry between the two teams. The splashing of the cash on ex-Premier League pros by Billericay, and the ‘excitable‘ social media behaviour of club owner and manager Glenn Tamplin added to the pre-match expectations.

In the end it proved that Billericay were decent and strong – but nothing exceptional at this level of football. The small gathering of away fans were a well-humoured bunch. Tamplin’s on the pitch celebration for the third Billericay goal looked a little silly.

Blimey. #dhfc queue all the way back to Sainsbury's

A post shared by Jason Cobb (@jason_cobb_) on Aug 19, 2017 at 7:02am PDT

Another huge crowd turned up at Champion Hill with the official attendance 1,688. The queues were stretching back to the Sainsbury’s’ car park ten minutes after kick off.

The first half was even. Some tough challenges came from the away team. Billy Bricknell scored for Billericay after 43 minutes, only for Ashley Carew to equalise for Dulwich with a penalty before half time.

Game on.

Bricknell added a second for Billericay with a penalty on 72 minutes. The away team was looking stronger with the experience of their ex-pros starting to show.

Dulwich pressed for the equaliser, leaving them exposed at the back. A Beckham style wonder goal from Jake Robinson in stoppage time sealed the game. The on the pitch fist pump from Tamplin didn’t exactly help to calm down the rivalry.

But it was a bloody good goal, all the same.

The away fixture at Billericay is not until December 30. It should be clearer by Christmas how successful the Tamplin cash for promotion campaign is proving to be.

Next up for Dulwich is a Suffolk away day jolly at Leiston on 26 August, followed by a true pink ‘n’ blue Transpontine derby with the return of old rivals T***ing and M*****m to Champion Hill on Bank Holiday Monday.

Apologies Tamplin and Billericay – you’re at best a third rate rival for most Hamlet fans.