Jokers 3 – 5 Cambazola

Thursday 23 March 2006

Mile End, k.o. 7 p.m.

Team: Linter; Lynes, Gromb, Powell, Mandolini; Read, Etienne, Seaton-Smith, Gamson; Stevens, Hinks.

Subs: Vere (on for Mandolini, 70), Howgego.

Scorers: Gamson, Hinks, Seaton-Smith

Mile End has not been the happiest of hunting grounds for the Jokers. In the dim and distant past it was actually the team’s home ground, but even then it is a struggle to recall many victories. The last two seasons have been miserable, caused in part by fielding weakened teams in midweek: Defeat to arch-rivals Fowlers; a highly creditable draw against Div 1 runners-up Press Association, which was not enough to prevent the Jokers being relegated; and two Cup defeats, the first to then lower-division side Clissold and this year’s exit at the hands of this evening’s opposition, Cambazola.

A team missing Wilby (still on honeymoon), Hyde and Perez-Tejedor (team-building, but not with the Jokers) was perhaps always likely to struggle. Further bad news came on the day with the news that Milner had gone down with food poisoning to end his ever-present league campaign and that Vere had come down with a cold and so was only fit enough for a place on the bench. Much of the pre-match discussion revolved around John (the Irish ref) and his comment that someone had told him that Linter was the best goalkeeper in the entire league, a sure cue for your keeper to let in five. When Vere, in an attempt to alleviate the situation suggested that the person in question might have been called ‘Blind Jack’, John, quick as a flash, turned to Linter and said, ‘mind you, he did have a dog and was carrying a white stick’, as if he’d thought of this rapier-like piece of wit himself, even adding a little self-congratulatory chuckle. Thanks, John, I’ve just done that one… John is also famous for saying that the Jokers ‘played a decent brand of football’, a comment that, given this display, assumed equally humorous overtones.

The Jokers will also be kicking themselves that they managed to take, and then give away, the lead not once, but twice in the first half. The opener was as good a goal as the Jokers have scored all season. Building from the back, the ball was played out to Read on the left, whose cross-field ball found Gamson on the run (that’s right, on the run) from right midfield where he arrived to fire in on the half-volley. But Cambazola were soon back in it in slightly odd circumstances. An attack was cleared to outside the area where a shot from distance bounced once in the box and into the far top corner, bisecting Linter and Gamson on the post, who seemed to leave it to one another slightly, although in truth it would have taken something heroic from either of them to keep it out.

Nevertheless, the Jokers soon re-established a lead, with a Read corner being headed into the net by Hinks for his second goal in two games. At this point both teams were creating chances, with Stevens forcing the keeper into a good save and Mandolini shooting just over from long range. Meanwhile, Linter was called upon to save with his legs and saw a Cambazola forward put a free-header from six yards straight at him. But the team in purple were soon back level when, following a long kick from the keeper, Mandolini attempted a rash interception and the number six was set free down the Jokers’ right. Looking up he spotted not one but two players unmarked in the box and picked out the second of these who finished neatly back across Linter.

The second half promised more of the same, but chances were few until some calamitous defending by the Jokers around the hour mark presented Cambazola with the opportunity to establish a decisive lead. A Linter save fell to a Zola player in the box, who unaccountably was not closed down and seemed to have all the time in the world to take the ball in and slot it past Linter and Mandolini on the line. Minutes later, a Gromb clearance virtually out of Linter’s hands saw further chaos ensue and Cambazola scored again. At this point Mandolini was withdrawn for Vere and the team switched to a 3-5-2 formation. Despite attempting to get back on terms, it was Zola who scored next. A poor goalkick saw Zola’s number ten intercept and taking a touch he finished past a stranded Linter. And it could have been worse as a ball across the Jokers’ box saw an unmarked forward air-kick from six yards out.

Instead, it got slightly better as, in the final minutes, Seaton-Smith rose in the box to meet a Read free kick and make the final score 5-3. Not a goal that was ever likely to change the result, but one that could still prove valuable at the end of the season as it was worth two in goal difference terms between the two sides. Scant consolation, though, for the end of the long unbeaten league run, which totalled 16 games.

When we first played Cambazola (and won 2-1) I wrote that there had to be better teams in the league than them. With the arguable exception of the Elbow Rooms and the Jokers themselves (difficult to sustain, as they’ve now beaten us twice), there aren’t. At that point, Zola had lost to both the Jokers and ER, but they have yet to be beaten on the pitch since then, drawing only one match (and that with 9 men). Indeed, with a number of games in hand, it is only a walkover defeat against Perfidious that is preventing them from overhauling the Jokers. The situation is complicated and, according to my reckoning, all three outcomes of staying in this division, getting promoted and going up as Champions are still possible. Wins for Cambazola in all their matches in hand would see them just two points behind the Jokers with both teams having a match to play. Assuming they won that, then the Jokers would go up if they beat Perfidious; a draw would mean it would be down to goal difference, a defeat and Cambazola, and not the Jokers, would be promoted (assuming Elbow Room don’t mess up completely). If Cambazola win all their remaining matches, that would include a win over the Elbow Rooms, which, assuming the Jokers can beat Perfidious, would mean that the title would be decided on goal difference (with the Jokers holding a slight advantage at this stage). If the Elbow Rooms beat Cambazola (or even draw) then the chances are the Jokers would have to face up to the reality that the title has gone (the Elbow Rooms now have matches in hand that would send them three points clear of the Jokers). But before that, Jokers must ensure a win against Perfidious, who lie second to bottom and, aside from that walkover win, have won just once all season. The team should be strengthened by returning players and the knowledge that they don’t have to play at Mile End again this season.