Unprepared

My first game of the new campaign was handed to me by the Sunday League referee secretary Pete Lang. It was for a friendly that was to be played on the Wednesday night at Pinxton Welfare.

I wasn't given the names of the teams that I would be doing and also despite it being a Wednesday night, I still assumed that it was a friendly for Sunday league teams, with it being Pete Lang that had appointed me.

It was a 7:45pm kick off so I aimed to get there by about 7:15pm but just short of 7pm I received a call from the referee asking about my whereabouts. Luckily I was in Pinxton just looking for the Welfare and the referee guided me the rest of the way. I was already changed too thinking it was a Sunday League fixture therefore the facilities aren't usually decent.

I got there to find out it was an U18 friendly between Mansfield Town and Pinxton. I was quite pleased then to have been appointed on it but felt a bit daft walking in with 30 minutes to go before kick off when the other 2 officials had probably been there a while.

More confusion ensued when I got into the changing rooms and then when looking through my bag, couldn't find my boots! It was a long way back to the car too but then the assistant pointed out that they were on the floor and I'd carried them in! Don't remember that at all!! Good start to the season!

The game was quite disappointing, Pinxton surprisingly won 1-0 and there wasn't much for either team to write home about. Still, it was good to get the season underway and to have had a run out on the line as I doubt I'll be doing too many games as assistant this year.