Rose: We found way to win without playing great

Dulwich 2 – Harrow 0

Ashley Carew was the key man for Dulwich Hamlet as they beat visitors Harrow Borough 2-0 in front of a bumper Tuesday night crowd of 1,199 – the largest midweek crowd in the Bostik Premier this season.

The result keeps the Hamlet top of the league, five points ahead of second-placed Met Police, and maintains their 11-game unbeaten streak.

Despite both teams seemingly playing for the win, a surprisingly turgid game was only given life when Harrow needlessly gave away a penalty on 59 minutes.

Winger Gavin Tomlin was brought down on the edge of the box as he dribbled away from goal, and Carew unerringly dispatched the resulting penalty.

The game was then put beyond doubt in he 73rd minute when Carew delivered a corner which hung in the air before being headed in by the ever-reliable Marc Weatherstone.

As the crowd serenaded Dulwich manager Gavin Rose and “his pink-and-blue army”, the man himself was full of praise for their opponents.

He said: “Harrow rose to the occasion tonight. They enjoyed playing in front of so many fans, put a shift in, and made it really tough for us. We weathered what they brought however, and it never really looked like we were going to concede through open play.

“There’s an expectation that we should be amazing every week, which I don’t think is realistic.

“We need to understand that teams are going to make it particularly difficult for us, like Harrow did. The boys are learning how to win games without playing brilliantly.

“On Tuesday night, we found a way to win with an average performance which is all credit to the team – we know we’ve got more in the locker than this.”

• Tooting & Mitcham FC host Kingstonian FC at Imperial Fields on Saturday.

The Terrors enter the weekend on a two-game losing streak and are second- bottom of the Bostik League Premier Division on 15 points, six clear of the relegation zone. Manager Frank Wilson said: “We have been missing seven first-team players through injury and will see an upturn in form once they return to fitness.”