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Old Queens Head 0 - 4 Jokers
Another game, another victory as the Jokers winning run reached five on the bounce. Despite outplaying the then named Elbow Rooms twice last season, Jokers were to pay for their inability to thump the lesser sides, eventually finishing second by three goals. Revenge is a dish best served cold and the rain at Market Road certainly helped prepare the feast of football that followed.
The late availability of Read meant the Jokers were able to field their favoured 3-5-2 formation, and with a strong team, were confident of a good performance. OQH are by no means a weak side, but they did appear to lack a few of the fundamentals . . . goalkeeper gloves, shinpads, a half decent full back, a sense of humour, grace in defeat . . . to name but a few.
Jokers started well, fending off the initial forays of OQH and taking the lead 15 minutes into the game when a quick throw by Lynes found Tejedor, he in turn found Seaton-Smith whose perfectly weighted pass split the defence leaving Sandro (Surname again forgotten) to place the ball past the keeper for one nil. The game continued with OQH seeing plenty of possession but failing to make inroads past an organised Jokers, who seemed quite comfortable to hit OQH on the break and it was from a break that they doubled their lead. Milner, who posed himself a nuisance for the OQH back four all game, battled gamely before turning the full back inside out and playing a perfect pass for Tejedor. The dancing matador went right, then left, then right again before slotting calmly past the keeper. Whoever said he had no end product ?
The next goal was always going to be crucial and after a positive start to counter the OQH changes, a corner was forced from Morrell''s shot and Milner floated an immaculate delivery for the unmarked Seaton-Smith to convert. The Old Queens Head went a bit Henry VIIIth and started to lose their heads, but the Jokers' defence held firm, Gamson's perfectly timed tackle ruling out the closest they came to scoring. The back three of Hyde, Gamson and Vere combined well and it is testament to their work that Linter was not forced to make one save. He remained rooted to the ground when the ball hit the bar in the first half, calmly claiming that he knew it wasn't going in afterwards. As the game wore on the Jokers looked the more likely to break out and score and did so when a Milner flick found Lynes free on the left and his cross was guided in by Skinner for his first in Jokers colours.
The game finished 4-0 and another strong performance by the Jokers. Lets hope that the league secretary, the rather useless referee, can perform well enough to produce a league table and remaining fixture list. Without booking Pete for asking.