Red backstreet boozers 0 - 2 Pink gastropubs

Dulwich Hamlet were today's visitors the the theater of slapstick comedy, and came away two nil winners thanks to a penalty in each half.

To be fair, they deserved there win, as Chatham were limited in options up front, three Brad Potter headers from corners the only scares for Hamlet's 80s keeper.

Chatham's front line was missing the departed Lee Barnett. It turns out the pay cut was a step too far for the big man; perhaps it was the catalyst for a scant goodbye for a player who appeared to have peaked last season. Barnett has joined R1N title chasers Thamesmead Town, where he will join Rikki Cable and Andy Constable up front. Certainly, he had class last season, but has not had the cutting edge that made him stand apart last year. I don't like to speculate, but I think he saw the chance for the door and ran through it - unlike too many defences this season.

Back to the action though, and Chatham seemed demoralised. The final ball not there, the indecision in attack, too many stray passes. Too many changes perhaps, Denness managing a full 90 minutes a plus, the substitution at half time of an increasingly frustrated Cass and to my mind the best player in the red and black in the first half, Ray Powell, frankly bizarre changes if not brought about by injury. I do worry about how the season and all its hope is petering out. We need to get winning, we need to get confidence.

The most positive part of this game today? The fact that we've stopped our nine game win-lose hoodoo. Its two defeats on the bounce today. Let's show some of the famous bouncebackability next week at Chipstead - hopefully we'll still have Cassie to lead the line. His replacement today though, a young lad with ginger hair and white socks, looked like he had potential. But we need to get Cassie showing the love so to speak. Feed him and he'll grow.