Dulwich Hamlet chairman Ben Clasper questions decision-making as their women’s team miss out on promotion

Dulwich Hamlet chairman Ben Clasper has been left puzzled by the explanation as to why their women’s team missed out on promotion to FA National League Division 1 South East.

It was confirmed at the start of June that QPR had been successful in their application to play in a higher division.

Dulwich had also applied to be moved up.

Clasper had been waiting for feedback on why Hamlet were unsuccessful. He told the South London Press: “The criteria on which we lost was performance on the pitch. Considering we were top both seasons – and over the two seasons we were ahead of QPR on points per game – they have added in some cup runs. It basically means they have chosen which league you are in based on who got an easy draw in the cup.

“QPR got two easy draws and hammered teams 9-0 and 1-0, we got a team in the league above and got knocked out. So they have decided that QPR have better ‘on pitch performance’. They got lucky with the balls in the draw, I’ll give them that!

“Seriously, if you’re going to do it on sporting performance – when you have got a team who were top both times and ahead across the two seasons on points per game – what is the point of having any sporting merit if you are going to pick someone just because of a cup? Which is what they appear to have done.”