JOE BAKER, nineteen-year-old Hibs centre-forward who leads the full England attack against Ireland next Wednesday, crashed Young England into the lead three minutes after half-time under the Roker Park floodlights here [last] night. Skipper Maurice Setters worked a slick free-kick move on the edge of the French penalty area, and the Baker boy positioned himself superbly to head the ball into the far corner.
Baker had taken just five minutes to hit his way into the hearts of the the critical North-Eastern fans. He did it with a flashing header from a right-wing cross just after the start.
   And for the most of the first half Baker was a force one-man attacking force.
His flashing feet sparked off most of England's moves, and three times his darting headers were only inches off the target. French danger man centre forward Yvon Goujon had shocked England's youngsters after only four minutes. His sparking run laid on a chance for left winger Francois Heutte, whose close-range shot had Tony Macedo diving desperately to punch away. Most of the French attacks came from the left wing, and Fulham's George Cohen was having a tough time trying to pin down the sparkling Huette. Right half Setters got England out of trouble with a great through ball to left winger John Sydenham. But the young Southampton star was having an unhappy international debut. Baker apart, there was little in England's attack to suggest that they would hit France hard and quickly.
   Newcastle's inside left, George Eastham, sparkled in the first fifteen minutes but faded.
He came back after half an hour with a jinking run that took him past three men, but was then bundled off the ball. England were unlucky not to have gone ahead in the thirty-third minute. Blackburn inside-right [Peter] Dobing hammered home a twenty-five-yard free-kick, but it was ruled out by an offside decision. Baker was back in the picture again before the interval with a dazzling jump that powered the ball across the goalmouth with the French 'keeper beaten. Right winger Chris Crowe crashed England into a two-goal lead in the sixty-second minute. The Leeds man cut past full back Chorda to hammer the ball behind the French 'keeper into the top far corner. Twelve minutes from the end French goalkeeper Clement went off and Taillandur (Racing) took over.
  

The most noteworthy feature was the masterly way in which Baker led the English forwards. Supported by hard-working colleagues, he was always a menace to the French defence, even when marked by two opponents. Setters, a tireless worker, also gave a polished display at right-half, though our defence had little trouble in keeping the French at bay. England would have scored more often it they had not over-schemed when close to goal. Baker netted the first, 2 minutes after the interval; Crowe, accepting a through-pass from right-back Cohen, added a second after 62 minutes.