Protocol

Had one game today, up at the Highfields Complex in Nottingham, near the University. It was in the MAA and was between EMTEC and Sherwood Colliery. The sun was out for what felt like the first time pretty much all season and so I looked forward to a good game. I told myself to concentrate, be confident and enjoy it and it should go well.

Early on I had good banter with a few of the players. First off the home captain who was upset having learned the Man United score - they were 2-0 down and had come back to win 4-2.I told him I shared his pain! Shortly after this, I was told my all-black kit was clashing with the dark blue / black of the visitors and they were struggling to distinguish me with the players. I just said well I'm the one that looks disinterested, runs away from the ball and has a really poor touch! They enjoyed that and I heard no more about my strip.

The game was going ok, the first half was fairly easy, just one penalty shout that I had to turn down. The forward and goalkeeper met each quickly side on chasing a loose ball and both went down. I wasn't convinced that the forward had to go down nor that the keeper had done anything you don't expect a defender to do, it wasn't a clear push nor a barge, it was shoulder to shoulder to I waved it on.

In the second half, a couple of incidents could have been controlled better on my part. Firstly, a boot came off the away defender just after his goalkeeper had collected the ball and so I asked the keeper not to release it until his player had replaced it. He acknowledged me but then dropped the ball at his feet. After his player had replaced his shoe I waved play on and the keeper then picked the ball up, which caused a slight protest from a couple of the home players. It is an offence to pick it up after having had it under control before initially releasing it, but I waved it on anyway. Whilst it would have been harsh to give a free kick against him for doing this, it would have looked more convincing or professional to have awarded a free kick against him but asked the opposition to give it back to him.

Following this, towards the end of the game, the home striker and away keeper were in a race for the ball at the edge of the area. Arriving very close together, a fair challenge saw the ball spill loose to the edge of the box to a second home striker, but as he was receiving the ball, an away defender's boot caught his keeper on the side of the head, casuing him to go down holding it. I saw this and immediately blew for a head injury. However, as I blew, the home striker slotted the ball between two defenders in the area and into the empty goal. Because I had already blown the goal could not stand but I was now met with a bunch of frustrated home players. The captain helped me clear them away but was keen to protest the goal anyway. However, I made it clear from my position that I had done the right thing. Despite a couple of minutes of protests, they accepted the decision and the game could go on. I restarted with a drop ball to the keeper, when in actual fact, I probably should have in some way returned the ball to the opposite team having just disallowed their goal.

The game ended 1-1 and both teams had no complaints at the end and thanked me for it so that was a plus as there were a good few moans throughout. No moans either from the management so I guess a pleasing game. Hopefully tomorrows will be just as pleasing.