Cray Wanderers U18s North vs Dulwich Hamlet U18s – Kent Youth League North – Sunday 17th May, 2026
Cray Wanderers U18s 1
Dulwich Hamlet U18s 3
Cray Wanderers U18s North’s hopes of topping off an incredible week and season for the Wands Youth section just fell short as a strong Dulwich Hamlet side came from an early goal down to claim the title with a controlled second half performance.
On a very sunny Sunday morning with not as much of the recent chill factor the scene was set perfectly for a league title decider as Cray Wanderers came into the game with a one point lead at the top from Dulwich. Cray had built a seven point lead after Dulwich had a mini blip after starting the season strongly but Hamlet had won two games in hand to leave the game tantalisingly poised.
Cray required just a point to win the league and after an early spell of sparring began to get in command and Harry Smith and Finn Garratty combined to set up Jake Fowler for a low shot which was well held by the Hamlet keeper.
However in the tenth minute Cray took the lead when a ball across from the right fell to Frankie Cheesman at the left post to finish with great economy.
Cray continued to look the sharper in the opening twenty minutes and Dean Beany set up Fowler for a smart volley which again was well saved.
Dulwich though slowly worked their way into the game and the no 5 headed well of target from a right wing cross. Then the no 10 worked and opening but saw his effort blocked by Charlie England.
Then a free kick from the no 3 was headed wide and then the no 10 saw his shot pushed behind by George Clark. For Cray, there was another opening when Dean Beany’s header was well held once again. This was followed at the other end by the no 10 volleying over.
In the 39th minute Dulwich equalised when the no 21 made a great run from midfield and into the area. Clark did very well to push out the shot but the Hamlet no 18 was on hand to turn in the rebound.
For Cray, Beany saw a shot blocked but at the break it was 1-1 and about right on the balance of play.
During the half time interval in a separate occasion there was a two minute silence held in honour of Fusilier Lee Rigby who was tragically taken away too soon and other service personnel ahead of the Memorial Bike ride to Woolwich from Flamingo Park.
A draw would have done Cray in the second half but would be a long forty five minutes. Dulwich started much the stronger and the no 6 headed onto the roof of the net from a corner.
In the 55th minute Dulwich took the lead when down the right, the no 21 fired in an angled drive in off the left post.
Three minutes later it looked like the Wands were up against it after the award of a penalty. However, from the spot, the no 10’s strike was superbly saved by Clark who did even better to grab the ball at the second attempt.
The match then went through a tense period where the next goal in the game would prove decisive. Cray were struggling to create openings with perhaps the nearest when a Beaney free kick was deflected through to the keeper.
Going into the last fifteen minutes Dulwich played well and the no 18 whipped a shot wide and the no 9 fired a shot into the side netting.
In the 80th minute it looked to be all over as the no 9 found the no 7 who went round Clark and rolled the ball into the net.
Cray with still plenty of injury time to go needed to get a goal back pretty quickly. Dulwich defended their box superbly from free kicks and corners all second half.
The Wands did start to create openings with Freddie Moore not quite getting a firm connection from a Fowler cross. Then a fine ball from Moore put Charlie England in with a chance but fired over the top.
Then, Beaney with a well struck shot from 25 yards was well held by a very alert and agile keeper and then did well to save from another Beaney shot on the turn.
Cray had battled hard but couldn’t get a goal to set up a grandstand finish and in the end Dulwich saw out the game for a deserved win on the day and title but Cray Wanderers had done themselves proud over the season and only missed out on the title on the closing day of the season so credit to Brett Cheesman and his team for a great effort.
Team: George Clark, Franki Chipping (Capt.), Kane Stewart, Charlie England, Finn Garratty, Tani Jegede, Dean Beany, Frankie Cheesman, Jake Fowler, Harvey Smith, Sonny Smith; Freddie Moore, Michael Odunuga, Louis Findlay, Freddie Newman, Maxwell Okunzuma
