Jokers 8 – 3 FC National

Saturday 14 January

2 p.m. Hackney Marshes

Team: Lacey; Vere, Gromb, Mandolini; Lynes, Milner, Hyde, Seaton-Smith, Read; Stevens, Wilby

Scorers: Wilby (3), Stevens (2), Hyde, Milner, Lynes.

Jokers ran riot over National in this game at the peculiarly deserted home of football, Hackney Marshes. With a series of late withdrawals it was left to the eleven who started to complete the victory using an unfamiliar 3-5-2 formation. Chosen in part to counter National’s own 4-5-1 and in part in recognition of the need to get the ball forward faster on grass, this paid off all game, with left wing-back Lynes getting himself on the scoresheet late on following a run down the left and Read working tirelessly down the right, producing the goods and rivalling hat-trick man (and birthday boy) Wilby for the man-of-the-match award.

 The Jokers took early control and it was no surprise when they went in to the lead. A thrown-in was helped on by a Stevens header for Milner to finish from close range. Then they extended it.  Wilby diverted a Lynes shot into the net at the far post. At this point, the Jokers were in total control of the match and National had yet to muster an attack of note. This changed when their number 11 broke down the inside-right channel. The merest of contacts as he cut across Vere at the edge of the box was enough to send him sprawling, at least having the presence of mind to take a couple of steps more before going down theatrically to ensure that Vere could add to his long list of penalties conceded this season. Despite a brave effort by Lacey, who got a hand to a well-struck shot to his right, National converted and were back in it.

But not for long, as a similarly innocuous challenge on Stevens in National’s box prompted the referee to even up the penalty count. Step forward Wilby, who converted in much the same way as the National forward, the keeper also getting a touch on his successful effort.

Roll on half-time with a 3-1 lead and a chance to moan about the conditions and swap boots. All that is except Read, whose mudlark tendencies were well to the fore in this game. Having given up the prospect of a cross-country run in Essex in order to play, he settled for the next best thing (a run around a muddy field in what is almost Essex ). Later he could be heard telling bemused opposition players that he ‘envied them playing on grass’. All it takes, one feels, is the right approach and one of the Jokers’ longest serving players might be playing his trade inbetween the navigable and non-navigable sections of the River Lea. 

Last week’s eventful first half had seen 7 goals and then only one more. This week’s second half would produce 7. At 3-1, and despite the fact that Lacey had had little to do in the Jokers goal, the next goal was crucial. It went the Jokers’ way after a ball from Read was volleyed by Lynes. The shot was saved, but the ball broke to Milner, who turned it back into the box for Hyde to finish from close range. With a 4-1 lead the pressure began to ease and when Wilby drilled against the keeper’s legs from a couple of yards and Stevens skied the rebound, there was still no great alarm. But Stevens more than made up for it by bagging his first two Jokers goals. The first was another rebound. Lynes's cross saw Stevens challenge the keeper and the same player was on hand to tuck home after the keeper spilled it.  For the second, he comprehensively beat two players in midfield before hitting what, in all honesty, was a tame shot at the keeper, who inexplicably let it roll through his legs for the Jokers’ seventh. Well, perhaps not inexplicably as National were to use no less than three keepers during the match. Stevens's brace was quickly followed by Lynes's own strike, his first from open play for two years. Milner played him into the box. The keeper half-stopped his first effort, but he made no mistake as the ball fell back into his path.

  
At this point with the game won and on a heavy pitch with no subs the Jokers lost concentration and let National register two goals in quick succession, the first only coming after a great save by Lacey to his right was played back in to the six-yard box with two players on hand, one of whom slotted home; the second completing a flowing National team move down their right.

 
But these were simply consolations and the only action possible for the rest of the game was Wilby’s completion of his hat trick, turning clear of the defence to place the ball calmly into the corner of the net from the edge of the area to complete another win.