BENDER HEADER SEES OFF HAMLET

By Holly Porter

DULWICH HAMLET 0

BILLERICAY T 1

Bender 38

HAVE SOME OF THAT: Billericay’s Tom Bender celebrates the only goal of the game

PICTURE: Matt Bristow

BILLERICAY TOWN made it 11 unbeaten in the league as both teams were reduced to ten men in front of a 3,085 crowd at Champion Hill.

Tom Bender scored the only goal of the game in a 0-1 victory for the travelling side.

Dulwich Hamlet were the first to see red with Jerome Binnom-Williams receiving a second yellow in the 49th minute.

With just over 15 minutes to go, Billericay’s Cain Keller got a second yellow card for kicking the ball away.

Both teams started strong, with Dulwich coming the closest to opening the scoring in the first 10 minutes. Sam Donkin did well to keep the ball from crossing the line after a promising free kick from Luke Wanadio.

Billericay scored the only goal of the game in the 39th minute, when Tom Bender converted Jack Pax-man’s corner to give the away side the advantage at half-time.

Both sides started the second half with intensity, but the sending off of Binnom-Williams left Hamlet fighting an uphill battle.

Nevertheless, Dulwich responded well to the red card and nearly found themselves level after Anthony Jeffrey forced a save from Donkin with a shot from outside the box.

Billericay came close to doubling their advantage on the hour, but Jack Paxman’s shot was initially blocked, and moments later Jameson Horlick pulled off an incredible save to tip Billericay’s shot over the bar.

Cian Keller’s red card in the 74th minute saw the travelling side equal 10-man Hamlet for the closing stages.

The best chance in the final 15 minutes fell to Billericay. Horlick pulled off a great save down to his left in the third minute of stoppage time to limit the visitors to one.

The win for Billericay Town means that they now sit second in the Isthmian Premier League, level on points with Dover ahead of their next league tie, away to Whitehawk on the first weekend of November. Hamlet finished the day in seventh, six points behind leaders Dover Athletic.

STAR MAN: Jameson Horlick (Dulwich Hamlet) ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★