It was difficult to tell who had a bigger smile, the conductor of the test or the trial's subject.

Clearly both were exceedingly happy with the outcome.

In FC Edmonton's breakout 6-1 thrashing of the Carolina Railhawks at Clarke Stadium on Sunday, Eddies veteran Lance Laing scored a goal and set up another, playing in the wide midfield after being moved from his normal position of defender in an inspired bit of experimenting by FCE coach Colin Miller.

"The lad was a revelation," Miller said. "By his high standards (Laing) had played poorly and we spoke about it during the week and what I envisioned was exactly what happened today. Lance provided some great crosses in the box."

Laing, who is in his second season with the Eddies and fourth in the North American Soccer League, scored in the 30th minute after walking in from a free kick and firing a shot past Railhawks goalkeeper Akira Fitzgerald. He had earlier delivered a brilliant cross to teammate Daryl Fordyce for FCE's first goal less than a minute into the match.

"Personally, I'm pretty attack minded, so playing fullback is a bit too defensive for me because I always wanted to go forward," said the 26-year-old Jamaican. "Now (that) I get a chance to go forward I'm doing good -- my first time there and I really enjoyed the position today. I hope it construes like this."

So too do all of FCE’s supporters, players, and, of course, coaches. Which begs the question, will Laing be playing as a midfielder when the Eddies return to game action next month to open the fall season?

"I just had a chat with Collin and I jokingly said to him, 'That's my only game there and I'm never going back'. So let's see what happens from here."

COACH JONKE

John Jonke sat in the Clarke stands on Sunday, cheering on big brother Frank Jonke and his sibling's FC Edmonton teammates.

Frank, 29, is just one of several current Eddies older than John, who, at age 27, has already hung up the cleats.

John, who last played for FC Edmonton in 2011, now works in Toronto as an assistant coach with York University's powerhouse men's soccer team.

"I started off a few years ago with York University when i stopped play," John said. "Carmine Iascco, the head coach there, gave me an opportunity, so i basically jumped on it because it's one of the best universities in Canada."

John, a Scarborough, Ont., native that played NCAA Division 1 soccer with the Louisville Cardinals, also helps out with the York women's team and works primarily as a coach/trainer with the Vaughn Soccer Club.

primarily with Vaughn soccer club,

"You always want to play before you coach, obviously, but it's also fun and satisfying when you teach someone something and then they do it," said John. "Honestly, coaching's been great, I love it. I would love to do something in the college game in the U.S., because that's where I was at with Louisville, and it's just so much more intense over there.

"York University might be the only place that is kind of like a (Division-1) school in Canada, so getting that under my belt, having that on my resume, learning from Carmine has brought me a long way," continued John, who also made professional appearances for the Toronto Lynx and in Finland with AC Oulu.

"If I knew what I know now when I was playing it would be a little bit different."

THE JOY OF SIX

The goals were coming fast and furious at Clarke Stadium on Sunday, leaving league officials, team staff and, yes, even the media researching potential scoring records for the Eddies.

One record that was not in question was the team record for goals in an NASL game. To record six goals is incredibly rare in pro football, so much so that Miller – who has been either playing or managing the Beautiful Game for three decades – couldn't remember being part of a team that scored half a dozen times in one match.

"I've been on t he receiving end of a 6-0 defeat by Glasgow Rangers," said the Scottish-born Miller. "When I was a manager at Hamilton (in Scotland) we lost 6-0, but I've not been on the winning end other than youth football when there's been six goals involved."