Strange days at Imperial Fields indeed with the Terrors the division’s suburban swingers, thought the highs must surely have been heavily outweighed by the lows. Already on their third manager of the season after Phil Simpson grabbed the poisoned chalice in the wake of Jamie Martin’s acrimonious departure amid budgetary disputes, the Terrors currently find themselves in a mid-table position, a place of some security having hit rock-bottom after winning just two of their opening eight games. That prompted the departure of former Dulwich Hamlet reserve team manager, Roberto Forzoni, Martin, another with Champion Hill connections stepping into dead men’s shoes and instigating new arrivals that brought about a swift turnabout in fortunes, victory at home to Whitstable in late November seeing the club climb into the top half to the table for the first time since the opening day of the season.

However, December proved not to be magic again as the Terrors slumped back down the table on the back of a month that four league defeats out of five, including a humiliating home defeat to Horsham who had not won on the road from over a year. The barren run saw just a single point garnered, that at home to Chipstead, and the team dumped out of the Surrey Senior Cup by Sussex County League side, Lingfield.

It was on the back of that run that Tooting travelled up to Champion Hill, their fans filled with trepidation at facing their old rivals, sitting in the box seat atop the table, and having all but one of their previous home league games. Yet the formbook was flung out of the window that New Year’s Day as Dulwich were forced to come from behind as a Tooting delivered a double whammy in the last four minutes of the first half, Erhun Öztümer having given Hamlet the edge with a goal the half hour. Twice in almost identical fashion Dulwich gifted free kicks to Tooting on the edge of the area, Dominic Vose despatched the first with a tidy shot inside the upright before trying the same trick again, Phil Wilson parrying but only to Tooting defender Nathan Koo-Boothe was on hand to bury the loose ball. Dulwich were not behind for long though. Four minutes into the second half, Kevin James delivered a splendid through ball into the inside-left channel and Daniel Carr rifled an equally splendid shot into the bottom corner from 15 yards to make it 2-2. Try as they might though Dulwich could not find a way past ‘keeper Darren Behcet who kept his side in the game with a string of fine saves, a marvellous game ending with honours even.

Wins over Walton Casuals and tough nuts Hythe served to reinforce Tooting’s spot in the safety zone, only for the spectre of relegation to raise its ugly head once more with successive defeats to Kentish sides, first Ramsgate (1-3 at home), then Faversham (0-1 on the road), culminating a chastening 5-0 home humbling at the hands of Folkestone Invicta. The tide of defeat was stemmed with a 3-3 draw away to Chipstead illuminated by a hat trick on his first start for Bamoussa Cisse though having thrown away a two-goal lead; the mood was not as light as it might have been.

Meanwhile behind the scenes the backroom bickering had burst into life, Martin falling on his sword amid unseemly rows over budget cuts. The baton passed to Martin’s number two, Phil Simpson with many expected a mass exodus from Imperial Fields. However the new man in the hot seat enjoyed early success, his new charges banging 4 unanswered goals past Whitstable at the Belmond before going one better with a 5-2 thrashing of Worthing, former Dulwich striker Carl-Wilson-Denis to the fore with a hat trick. However, the honeymoon was soon over as the visit of Herne Bay ended in a scoreless stalemate and the goals inexplicably dried up. A trip to Maidstone ended in a 3-0 reverse made all the worse by the dismissal of Koo-Boothe for querying the Stones’ second goal of the afternoon. Few might have expected Tooting to have come away with anything from the trip to Bromley in the London Senior Cup, even fewer might have expected them to go down 2-0 at home to bottom club Three Bridges in the league with Behcet once more coming to his side’s rescue. For many fans the season must have reached its nadir the Wednesday before last, when Tooting could only start with 10 players and no subs away Eastbourne Town although it was eventually boosted to 11 when Lee Hall arrived on to the field a minute after kick off having been detained at work. His arrival was not enough to stop Danny Curd giving the hosts the lead after 13 minutes, one they never relinquished. Having failed to find the net in more than 7½ hours of football, the hard fans that forwent the temptation of footy on the telly and made their way to Fetcham Grove must have done so with hope greatly outweighing expectation. However, a fighting display must have warmed the cockles of those devoted souls, goals either side of half time from Cisse and Wilson-Denis putting the Terrors in the driving seat. However, hungry fans starved of victory were denied that gratification as a disputed penalty narrowed the deficit before a late Tom Bradbook header rescued the Tanners.

Despite all Tooting’s troubles, a number of players have stuck by the team in in its hour of need. Whilst Laurent Hamici may have packed his bags for pastures new in the wake of Martin’s departure, Wilson-Denis, another former Dulwich man remains a potent force in the vanguard as his hat trick in the rout of Worthing gave testament to. In former Bradford City midfielder Jamie Lawrence, they have a skipper who is always prepared to lead by example, a leader first over the top and into the hail of enemy fire. At the other end of the experience spectrum Tooting have always given youth its head and in the exciting Bamoussa Cisse have another prospect that has the scouts salivating. However, Tooting will be missing skipper Nathan Koo Boothe who is suspended following his dismissal at Maidstone.

Meanwhile Dulwich boss Gavin Rose will be mulling over his options in the wake of the midweek battle with the aforementioned Stones that left him deprived of Phil Wilson. Since then Gavin has running up the phone bill in the search for a replacement with some big names have been in the frame. He will also be running the rule over some of his players who have given their all in recent weeks with the strain starting to tell.

This afternoon’s game kick-off at 3.00 pm at Imperial Fields, Bishopsford Rd, Morden, Surrey SM4 6BF.

ADMISSION PRICES

• Adults: £10
• Concessions: (Age 60+, Serving Members of the Armed Forces or Blue Light Services, Full Time Students & Unemployed (With Proof of Status), Season Ticket Holders of any other club other than Dulwich Hamlet) £5
• Under 16s accompanied by an adult £1