Thirty-nine goals in all competitions and a spotless record in the league at home. Two hat-tricks, in the same half, and a regular home gate of over 200. The style, the spirit, the spice...

There's a lot to love about this team as we reach half-time in the first season playing as Dulwich Hamlet. It’s been a total pleasure watching DHFCW so far, as the squad continues to build its identity and pass it from the pitch to the fans. Many of us had been hoping for a women’s team for a long time and now it’s a reality and Sundays at Champion Hill a fixture. As Hamlet fan Cheryl says: “Viva ♀ team!”

The statistics are good: Nine wins in fifteen games; three wins out of three and seventeen goals in November alone; only one loss in the league (against fellow title contenders QPR); that 100% record at home in the league, and the eleven goal demolition of Haringey Borough in the cup… But the spirit of the performances is even better, and beyond the stats this team is a vital and exciting addition to the Hamlet family. We have new heroes in pink ‘n’ blue.

“It’s really good to see so many young girls, and boys as well, watching women play,” says goalkeeper Kate Aldridge, while Dulwich supporter Emily goes further: “Seeing girls here with their dads, that’s always my highlight,” she says. “The big thing for me is that when I was a kid I couldn’t play football, no-one would allow me to. So to see kids here now, girls especially, thinking ‘I could do that, I could play professional football,’ that’s a huge thing.”

We all have our highlights of a fantastic start to the campaign and to this chapter of Dulwich Hamlet history. “Rosie’s deft flicks and feints - I’ve loved watching those,” says Gavin, a supporter and photographer who hasn’t missed a match. “And then seeing Liz come back from injury was a real highlight for me.” For keeper Kate it was “Denham away when I felt we clicked as a team. That was when the goals started coming. But my highlight was the first league match, against Aylesford, when it was 1-1 and Danny, a fan, turned to the crowd and got them going. That made the difference and we got the win.”

A testing pre-season with home games against four clubs from higher divisions - including a first goal, a belter by Rosie Stone against Leyton Orient, and a first win against Championship side Crystal Palace - set the scene for the historic first competitive fixture for this DHFCW. The 2-1 win against Aylesford was unforgettable, as was the first competitive goal 44 minutes in, with Liz Wicks in the right place to knock home the rebound after Zoe Elmore’s delicious free-kick struck the corner of crossbar and post; before Olivia Bennett’s determined late winner. This was followed by a draw away at Eastbourne Town and that 4-0 away win at Denham United, kicked off by Catherine Campbell’s brilliant half-volley, where things clicked.

The run of games in October saw a draw away at Ashford Town; a 2-0 win in the return fixture; a convincing 5-0 win at home to Saltdean United; and that single league defeat, 2-1 away at QPR, with two very late goals from the home side. Then came those three wins in three throughout November, including a 2-0 home league win against Eastbourne Town in front of a record crowd of 312. The 4-3 win away at Fulham at the end of the month sums up the spirit in the camp. After leading by two goals, then trailing 3-2, Dulwich fought back and a left-footed volley by Rosie Stone and an Ana de Pellegrin strike - nodding in from close range after great work from Alison Rowe - sealed it.

We’ve not fared so well in the cups, narrowly losing out to Aylesford after extra time in the FA Cup, and losing two of our League Cup matches 1-0 at home. A 3-0 win away to Fulham in the final game of 2019 - sealed with goals from Jo Gibson and Saskia Philp - has given them a fighting chance of getting out of the Group Stage.

Having said that, what of the wonder of 11! Adding to their first half hat-tricks, Sarah Milner and Ana de Pellegrin had four each by the break in the Capital Senior Cup: Milner’s hat-trick, completed in four minutes, surely the fastest in Champion Hill history, and taking her tally as leading scorer to eight. Then there was Lucy Monkman’s classy twenty-five-yard chip for the 9th goal - matching Raky Arran’s lob at the same end pre-season against Wimbledon - before the returning Liz Wicks added the icing for 11.

At this half-time point, those eleven goals in one game are balanced by just the eleven conceded in fifteen games, with notable defensive shifts across the back, including from Helen Bellfield, Jess Hand, Harriet Crofts and Michealla Williams who have been excellent, as has Kiki Marino who’s started all but two of the fixtures. Dulwich Hamlet have just gone top of the table, the Reserves sitting fourth in their league, and with an average home attendance of around 200, the first team is already one of the best supported sides in London and beyond.

“We know we’re good enough to win the league,” says Kate, considering ambitions for the second half of the season: “we’ve clicked and I think we’re in a strong place.” Players, staff and fans alike are all looking forward, with sights set high. Sue, a supporter, agrees: “To win the league. That’s the hope.” She adds, "It’s a shame we don’t get more supporters of the men’s side coming down for the women’s game. I hope that improves too."

It has been a difficult and very sad half-season too, with the death of long-serving manager Farouk Menia. Reflecting on how the squad has needed to dig deep on and off the pitch, forward Raquel Arran says: “I feel like something changed, something clicked inside us, when Farouk was ill and not able to be here. We didn’t talk that much between us, but you could feel that there was something happening. As a team we were getting stronger. We had to win for him.”

Speaking before the vital top-of-the-table clash at home against QPR, she says, “I think this game is the game. It’s a special day, and the game is for Farouk.”

Manager Ryan Dempsey agrees “Today’s game is a ‘not-lose.’ We’ll try to win it but if we draw we’re still in touching distance with QPR.”

“Going forward, I’d like to put a little more of my own identity into the team, but still keeping a lot of what Farouk’s done, because he’s done amazing work. The players have been amazing too, in exceptionally difficult circumstances, and I can only praise them for that. They’re really strong as individuals and collectively as a group.”

“Every time I put my feet on the pitch, every Sunday, Farouk comes to my mind,” Raky continues. “And if this happens for me, then it happens for every one of us. I think this could be one of the reasons as a team we’re going ‘up.’ Before Farouk passed away our aim was to go up, and we know he will be following us."

Everything clicked in that game against QPR, a confident and convincing 2-0 victory that sent Dulwich top of the league on an afternoon that was all about celebrating Farouk’s memory. Ella Wales Bonner played the vital pass to Ana De Pellegrin, who opened the scoring in the first half, before Wales Bonner added one of her own to wrap up the victory. The emotional celebrations - which carried on long into the evening - showed just what this meant to the team.

This feeling of a strong collective transmits from the pitch, into the Tommy Jover Stand and the bar behind it. It’s been a joy to watch, and it’s only half-time. So here’s to the next 126 years! The team has delivered on and off the pitch. “They promised us ‘spicy,’ ” says Rod, “and for most opponents they’ve been too hot to handle.”

The Women's team's fixtures for 2020 can be found here.