On a dull grey winter's day at Whaddon Rec, Charlton Rovers shone as bright as the stars as they demolished this Lakeside Whites team with an outstanding 8-0 win.
Joe Edwards dazzled, played a full second half and treated the crowd to some superb football - a stunning performance that saw him bag four goals.
Purring
But it was a slick all-round team performance that created the platform and the Rovers engine purred effortlessly through the match with neat interplay, good movement off the ball, and solid defending.
Rovers' first attack came as Jake Budenis made a determined run to the edge of the Whites' box to release a pass to Harry Benton. He held up the ball well allowing Jake to get deeper into the box before releasing a short pass back to Jake. Jake jinked inside, beat a defender and slotted the ball low into the far corner of the goal. Crisp finishing. 1-0 to Rovers.
From the kick off a Whites foray into the Rovers box saw a goalmouth scramble and a great save, as Ibrahim Chesshire got down low to deny the visitors a certain goal.
Jake Budenis was involved again with a well-taken corner into the box that found Joe Perry lurking on the edge of a melee of players. Taking it wide and to the goal line, he struck a shot at a tight angle that was fumbled by the keeper, and ended up over the line. 2-0 to Rovers.
Scruff of the neck
Now Rovers had the game by the scruff of the neck and their dominance was beginning to take hold. Harry Benton squared the ball low and hard into the Whites box, where Jake Budenis controlled and shot at close range into the net. 3-0 to Rovers.
Next it was Jake Budenis’ turn to repay the compliment, with a well-timed pass to Harry Benton who was bearing down on the Whites goal. He confidently connected with the ball first time, burying it in the back of the Whites’ net. 4-0 to Rovers.
It wasn’t all one-way traffic though and Ibrahim Chesshire was called on to show his talents with a decisive clearance with his legs.
Flood
With Rovers comfortably ahead, the second half began. Would Lakeside be able to stem the Rovers flood or even pull a goal or two back?
Not if Joe Edwards had anything to do with it. In a breath-taking 15 minutes Joe notched up the best personal goal tally this season to put the game well and truly beyond the visitors’ grasp.
His first goal was a gem, picking up a Lakeside goal kick, beating a defender and shooting to score, all in one fluid movement. 5-0 to Rovers.
Joe Edwards’ second came shortly afterwards from an excellent Ed Shaw cross, allowing Joe to smash the ball home at close range. 6-0 to Rovers.
Hat-trick Hero
Joe’s hat-trick soon followed, with another cross in the from the right that was scooped on by Archie Wickens into Joe’s marauding path. Another close range shot. 7-0 to Rovers.
Wonder Goal
Joe Edwards’ fourth couldn’t be called the icing on the cake. The cake had already been iced, decorated, had the candles lit and blown out by now. And he had already won the match ball.This was a wonder goal. Goal of the season? Surely a contender. Ed Shaw was involved again with some nimble footwork on the wing. He swung the ball into the centre of the Lakeside half to pick out Joe Edwards, who created some space for himself with an exquisite shimmy, before unleashing a gloriously powerful shot with his left boot that flew into the top corner of the goal. 8-0 to Rovers.
A dazzling personal performance by Joe Edwards and a brilliant display of teamwork by Charlton Rovers.
