Jokers 3, Green Park Rangers 2

Team: Linter, Lynes, Vere, Gromb, Keen, C Perez-Tejedor, Gamson, Sterne, J Perez-Tejedor, Wilby, Mandolini.

Scorers: Wilby (2), Lynes

With league tables seemingly a thing of the past, Jokers finished yesterday’s match certain for the first time this season that they were out of the relegation zone. 3 points against GPR gave them their fourth win in five matches, taking them to 14 points. Judicious examination of GPR’s website reveals they have 11 points from the same number of matches. With Seaton-Smith dislocating his shoulder in a “low-speed” snowboarding accident, Milner, Hyde and Reid unavailable and Norry struck down by man-flu, the Jokers team had a slightly patched-up look to it. Juan’s younger brother Christian took Milner’s place on the left. Ex-manager Sterne made a welcome return, playing his first full match of the season in his customary centre midfield role, although clearly managerial habits die hard, as he embarked on a complex series of suggested tactical alterations aimed at securing himself an out-of-the-way berth at right back. As this would have involved everybody else playing out of position, this was a good time for Linter to assert his authority, which, thankfully, he did telling the longest-serving Jokers player to shut up and putting an end to the ex-skipper’s Bellamy-like antics.

Yet again the Jokers started slowly, and GPR enjoyed good spells of pressure without creating anything too telling. Yet the Jokers slowly dragged themselves into it, and it was no longer against the run of play when they opened the scoring. Lynes sent Christian away down the left hand side with a ball that the GPR defence just failed to intercept, Christian calmly squared the ball to Wilby who finished low into the corner. Shortly before half-time, Jokers doubled their advantage. Lynes taking a free-kick wide on the left which the GPR goalkeeper got too far underneath as the ball sailed into the net untouched. Earlier Lynes, sporting a fetching pair of new white boots, had a far more realistic chance to open his account for the season, but his free-kick from twenty-five yards out sailed high over the bar. Still his goal when it came was not a complete surprise, as the keeper had previously misjudged a Gamson corner, the ball being cleared off the line, although Gamson remained adamant that it had actually crossed it. Video technology has yet to come to Battersea Park, and Gamson was left isolated in his appeals to the referee (a far more likely way to reach a decision in the Thames League, and especially in this case). He did find solace in Wilby’s muted support for his pleas, the hot-shot forward asking Gamson quietly whether it had indeed gone in.

So half-time arrived with the Jokers 2-0 up, a scoreline that flattered them. The second half saw increased GPR pressure and their breakthrough arrived from a free-kick floated into the box between defence and keeper, a GPR player running through unchallenged to plant his header in the corner of the net. But the Jokers were not to be denied and Wilby restored a two-goal cushion, put through by a Gamson flick, beating his man and finishing under the keeper. Gamson himself went close, evading two men in midfield before driving against the face of the post from long range. But Jokers attacks were now mainly on the break as GPR pushed to get back into the game. Balls skidded across the six-yard box and Linter was called upon for three excellent saves, two to his right from distance and a third as he advanced to block a GPR attacker free in the area. GPR’s second goal was again from a set piece, although one that the Jokers this time managed to half-clear before the ball was smashed into the top corner on the half-volley from the edge of the area. A fine strike and no more than GPR deserved for all their possession. That they didn’t find an equaliser was due to some resolute defending, albeit that the defenders themselves seemed at times bewildered, Keen asking whether the score was 4-2, when it was in fact 3-1. Gromb picked up an injury and, with no subs available yet again, moved into midfield where his injured calf didn’t seem to impede his attempts at overhead kicks, Mandolini also dropped into midfield to add to the Jokers resilience as Gamson moved to the back four to cover for Gromb. The thin blue line held out and we can now begin to look up the table (assuming we ever get to see one).