MAL League fixture (Saturday 16^th November 2003)

North London Crickets 5  –  1 Los Andes

Venue: Highgate Wood

Kick off: 1.30pm

Referee: D. Copsey

Crickets: (formation 4-4-2, left to right)

R Hall

S Ali

C Nicholson

P Mills

J-C Torres Nava

A van Hale

C Gaffney

S O’Hagan

L Buffery

S Creasey (G Nicholson 60)

B Wakeford

Report:

Having earlier beaten Los Andes in the cup by the odd goal, the table-topping Crickets knew that their young opponents would be no pushover in their first league meeting of the season.  Indeed, no sooner had referee Copsey blown his whistle for the start of the match, than it was the restauranteurs who were on the offensive, forcing a superb early save out Hall – the young Crickets keeper finger-tipping the ball past his right-hand upright at full stretch.

It was a typically shaky start by the Crickets, and it took a good 15 minutes for the team in yellow and green to settle to their task.  Unsurprisingly, it was a set-piece that saw them take the lead – a Creasey corner finding Wakeford (34) at the far-post – the veteran striker just getting enough ear/shoulder to the ball to guide it past a hapless keeper into the back of the net.  It was a seventh goal of the season for the tenacious old campaigner, yet his afternoon was far from over.

The opening goal proved a catalyst to the Crickets who were soon in the ascendancy, and once the experienced duo of Gaffney and O’Hagan began to exert their authority in the centre of midfield, the game took on a different complexion.  With Buffery and van Hale rampaging down the flanks, and Creasey pulling the strings deep in the opponents’ half, it was only a matter of time before the Crickets took advantage of Los Andes swiss-cheese defence and doubled their lead.  Again it was Wakeford, latching onto a cleverly lobbed through-ball from Gaffney and slotting home from just inside the penalty box, the hapless Andes keeper blinded by the low sun, rubbing his eyes in disbelief.

At the midway point in the first half, the floodgates were well-and-truly open, and a rugby score looked in the offing as the Crickets poured forward at every opportunity.  With 40 minutes on the clock, Wakeford had a golden chance to complete his hat-trick after good work down the left by Gaffney.  As the midfielder unselfishly cut the ball back inside, the ageing goal-machine found himself with the ball at his feet in front of an open net.  With the small crowd looking on in disbelief, the big man fluffed his lines, spooning the ball wide from a mere 5 yards.  His four-letter expletive said it all.  As did the muted laughter from the side lines.

Halftime score: 2 – 0

Ignoring the halftime advice of their player/coach Nicholson to stay focused after the interval, the Crickets started the second half as slowly as they did the first, and were soon made to pay for their complacency.  To their credit, Los Andes attacked with intent and purpose, and after a sweeping passing move down the right they seized their moment – their striker coolly converting a bobbling cross from the edge of the area.

It was just the wake-up call the Crickets needed, and barely had the game restarted when an unmarked van Hale nodded in a Mills long throw to extend his incredible scoring record, and restore the Crickets’  two goal advantage.

After his glaring miss at the end of the first half, Wakeford wasn’t to be denied his match-ball, and following a ricochet off Buffery’s chest on the edge of the Andes box, the greying targetman swivelled onto the loose ball and drove it into the bottom corner – his ninth goal of the season capping a remarkable hattrick.

The final result now beyond any doubt, the Crickets seemed to take their foot off the gas.  The final half hour was a scrappy affair, neither side prepared to put their foot on the ball and pass it around.  The Crickets’  back four remained as strong and resolute as they have all season, however, limiting Los Andes to speculative long-ranged efforts – none of which troubled Hall between the sticks.  Salman Ali once again caught the eye, stifling the creative flair of Los Andes’ most potent threat – the right midfielder who had caused them so much trouble in their cup encounter.

Meanwhile at the other end, chances were still coming the Crickets’ way – a Buffery shot-cross rebounding off the post, and a fierce drive from Mills tipped over the bar.  After another exemplary performance at centre-half, it would have been no more than ginger warrior deserved.

With the referee’s final whistle approaching, there was still time for the Crickets to bag a fifth.  Player/coach Guy Nicholson, struggling with the knee injury that has plagued him all season, came on as a late replacement for a wilting Creasey.  Deep into stoppage time, he snaffled his fifth of the season, exploiting a schoolboy error from the Andes’ right-back and side-footing past the keeper from point-blank range – another page from the poacher’s handbook.