Big cup game

I was originally down for an easy under 11's tie in Southwell before heading to Sutton for a big cup game at Sutton Town's old ground. This would be my first fairly big game at a decent ground, stands and everything! The Under 11's game didn't go ahead for some reason or another but I got a call out of the blue to take their under 8's against Rainworth Rangers.

Working out the journey from Southwell to Sutton was key as I had less than 45 minutes to get there and prepared and I wasn't familiar with the route but hoped I would be ok.

There was an annoying wait for the opposition to turn up though and as time ticked away, I worried that I would now be late for my second game, but just as the deadline time I had set approached, Rainworth turned up. Despite being quite late, they still insisted in having a good 15 minutes to prepare first, which made it even more unlikely that I would get to Sutton on time. I insisted that half time be cut short and the game commenced. Whilst remaining fully neutral in every game, often subconsciously you select a team that you route for more than the other - although ensuring all decisions are fair - but it's nice when the team you have developed a soft spot for get the win. There are many reasons why you would route for one over the other, such as one being the underdog, or if one set of managers are particularly annoying or rude you hope they get their come-uppance. On this occasion, due to Rainworth's lateness and abruptness in demanding time at the start, I'd hoped Southwell would put one over them!

I didn't have to wait long for them to be down as Southwell appeared much stronger than Rainworth and comfortably led 6-0 at the break. Still, despite my concern for the time both teams had the full half time allowance so my worries increased further. Southwell made it 7 shortly after the break and I began to look out for a white towel being thrown onto the pitch! Despite me hoping for a Southwell win, at the end of the day these were still just 7 or 8 year old lads and didn't deserve to be at the back end of a big defeat but they pressed and near the end of the game managed to pull one back much to the delight at both sets of supporters.

When the game drew to a close, I quickly picked up my earnings and set off for Sutton. Arriving at the ground pretty much at the kick off time I was quite delighted to hear that the home side were awaiting a player and hoped for a bit of time to wait for him. This gave me time to get ready, speak to the captains and get the toss sorted ready for kick off when the player arrived.

As it turned out, we waited about 20 minutes and he'd still not arrived so I insisted we get started. Drezden, the home side took to the pitch with just 10 players but had heard that their key man was on his way. They had to play on the counter with a man down but took the lead half way through the half, literally minutes before their man arrived.

Being a new official there will be plenty of occasions where I am unsure what the rules officially allow and this was one of those times. Drezden having played the majority of the first half with ten men now had a new player arrive, was he allowed to come straight on or was he only able to be a sub? Anyhow, both managers accepted that he was to come and be the 11th man so he took his position for the remainder of the first half.

Having taken the lead with ten men, I expected Drezden to take control now they were at full strength, especially as they'd made a point of saying the missing man was on his way back from a representative match, so was obviously of good standard, but it was Robin Hood who took the initiative in the second half and not only were they level soon enough, they took the lead about half way through the half.

Both sides created chances and it was another easy game for me to officiate with little incident. Despite plenty of Drezden pressure late on, including a cross that the wind caught hold of and floated it over the keeper and along the goal line, Robin Hood managed to hold on for the win.

Pull yer socks up!

After a few weeks of travelling the county and beyond, thankfully the two games today were right on the doorstep. The first being on the Carrs playing fields in Warsop for an U16 game between Warsop Plough and Walesby, before heading up to the Elkesley Road pitch literally a few hundred yards from my own doorstep to do Welbeck's U15's against Southwell United.

Both games ran smoothly, with plenty of goalmouth action. In the first game Warsop started the strongest but somehow found themselves 2-0 down midway through the first half. They pulled one back before half time before levelling shortly after. It then looked as though they were going to run away with it but then Walesby regained the lead. However, Warsop's quality eventually shone through and they won the game late on 4-3.

A couple of key points in this game was that firstly, I turned down 2 handball appeals against Walesby, which they felt heavily aggreived about. The first one I didn't spot as there were a number of bodies in the way but then shortly after, from a cross on the left hand side, it hit an arm that was a little outstretched and my first reaction was that it was ball to hand as the defender was only a matter of yards from where the cross was delivered but thinking back, they've been given for less and due to the slightly unorthodox positioning of the hand, a penalty was probably the right decision.

Secondly, I was very close to booking a Walesby midfielder for not covering his shinpads properly with his socks. I felt as though I was being a little pinickety on the player but one of the many things I learned on the referee's course was that it was crucial shinpads are covered as they can cause injury to others if they become damaged in a tackle. I first told the player to cover his shinpads by pulling up his socks but a couple of minutes later they were down again. I then told him to put some tape on them so he left the pitch to do so but returned without my instruction and without the tape - probably booking in itself, so I firmly warned him that unless he found some tape to cover his pads then he would be booked. I didn't need to speak to him again after this.

The second game again saw the away side take the lead, on this occasion Southwell United, before Welbeck raced to a 4-1 lead. Southwell pulled one back late on but they were well and truely beat in a game of very little incident.

Funnily enough following this game I received a call from the referee secretary informing me of changes to forthcoming weekends, when he said that I'd had a good game today as apparently I was being observed in one of the matches. I didn't know which but got it out of him that it was in the latter at Welbeck. I was given just one peice of advice from him that he'd been told, and that was for me to pull my socks up!! I had worn a pair that had no elastic so one kept slipping low down - I don't know why only one, I must have one leg much thinner than the other, but considering events from the first game of the day, I thought this was highly amusing!!

Week 2 - 2 out of 4 games!

My second week as a Youth League referee and already I was introduced to the joys that is administration! Initially down for 2 matches in Rainworth, I had already arranged one of them in the week when some paperwork indicating changes in fixtures came through the post. This pointed out that I was now to take 2 games in Shirebrook instead. I informed the Rainworth manager who had to then chase up his newly appointed official whilst I awaited hearing from the 2 games I was now doing.

These didn't come by Thursday so I chased them up myself. Both Shirebrook managers had sorted referees so I spoke to the Referees Secretary who told me I was down to do them so I should still be doing them. He chased the games up on my behalf so as far as I was concerned I would be doing the 2 Shirebrook games.

The first was Shirebrook Rangers Blue at U10, against Southwell United Squires. I got there well before kick off, which is always good to give me time to chat to the managers beforehand. I spent some time talking to the Southwell manager who had recently brought his side out of the Newark League for more competition. The Shirebrook manager I recognised from West Notts College, where I used to work.

The game was well contested - you don't see many otherwise at U10! Southwell ran out deserved 3-0 winners but Shirebrook showed glimpses of a very good team and I'm sure the next time I referee for them, I will see a scoreline more in their favour. Also, it has to be said, the half time cup of coffee was very well received too! Thanks!

I then headed for the second Shirebrook game, which was due to kick off within about 15 minutes of the first one ending so hoped they hadn't started to panic yet! It was only 5 minutes around the corner but when I got there I was surprised to see that the match had already commenced with another referee. I contacted the referee's secretary again, who was disappointed to hear of this, and so sorted me an U17's cup game in Skegby for later in the afternoon.

This match proved to be very entertaining indeed! I was pleasantly surprised at the start to see that all U17's matches are given 2 qualified assistants so I could trust the linesmen for once, rather than rely on the typically biased club-appointed assistants. For this one I was given a very young lad, making only his second appearance since being qualified, and a very experienced guy, who actually didn't arrive until 10 minutes into the game.

It was Skegby Colts against Ollerton and by the sounds of the pre-match team talks, Skegby were expected to walk it. I wasn't sure why, they were both in the same division, and were last season, finishing just 12 points apart and just 2 games into this season surely hadn't given much indication of who was much better than who?

Anyway, Skegby's arrogance didn't last long as just 5 minutes in I had to award a penalty to Ollerton for a trip in the box, which was scored. From this, the captain of Skegby saw fit to berate me with moans of diving but I assured these away. When Ollerton went 2-0 up, these intensified and he began to vent his frustrations in me into his tackles, to which Ollerton replied with strong challenges of their own. I had to call the 2 captains in to stop the game from boiling over and told both to concentrate on the game and leave any past decisions behind, whether right or wrong (right of course but it's what they wanna hear!). I could tell my warnings had fell on at least one set of deaf ears! Possibly directly because of this, Ollerton were soon 3-0 up.

The second half threatened to continue where it left off with Skegby verbally challenging every little decision so I made a point of saying it was doing them no favours and if they put as much effort into the game as they were moaning at me they might just get something from the game. This seamed to spark them into life as 30 seconds later they'd pulled one back. Virtually straight from the kick off it was 3-2 and less than 5 minutes later 3-3! Incredible really and just goes to show you if you focus on the task in hand rather than the official you'll be much better off.

Ollerton were on the backfoot but found a goal from somewhere putting them back in front but Skegby equalised with just a couple of minutes remaining to force extra time. They should really have gone into extra time a man down but for the only mistake in the game I admittedly made, when a frustrated Skegby midfielder - and a talented one at that, lunged two-footed into a tackle, clearly hurting an opponent in the process. I blew instantly and in my inexperience, was too indecisive to show my first red card. The fact that I'd even blew for a foul seemed to irritate the Skegby player into thinking he'd got the ball, it was a clear red but I only showed a yellow. Still, he was that furious he actually substituted himself, which did Ollerton no real favours as they were forced to replace their injured player who was actually taken to hospital with a suspected broken leg. This made my yellow card even more frustrating knowing that it should have been red.

Extra time commenced and a goalless first half was contested, before Ollerton made it 5-4 ealry in the second period. Skegby battled to find an equaliser and as it looked like time would evade them, they had the ball in the net with literally seconds remaining, only for the linesman to be flagging for offside. Skegby were fuming and all ran first to me to appeal before I cowardly pointed them in the way of the linesman who had given the decision (well he was a lot bigger than me so why not?!). It was clearly offside, a good 3-4 yards but Skegby wouldn't see this as they threw everything forward looking for the leveller. It was justice to Ollerton really who should have played extra time a man up, though I was disappointed not to be officiating my first penalty shoot out! The full time whistle was certainly met with plenty of moans as I was challenged by a couple of Skegby players, and the manager was in no mood for handshakes so I took the money and got out of there pronto! They had no complaints really, Ollerton were the only ones who had any rights to complain for the lack of a red card, but I had enjoyed my first game at U17 level, though wasn't in any great rush to take on another!

Season starts - 3 games!

My first weekend as a qualified referee saw me travel to Lowdham for 2 games, one at U14 followed by one at U16. Wanting to make a good impression and start as I mean to go on - as well as give myself plenty of time to find the ground, I set off a good hour before the first kick off time, arriving well before both teams! The ground had one full size pitch, which in the morning was split into 2 junior pitches. I got there just as 1 junior game had started and another were awaiting a referee (so it would appear!).

I was sat on the touchline watching the first junior game when I was approached by the manager of one of the other junior teams who asked if I would ref their game as their official hadn't appeared. It was an easy enough game - Southwell United against Chesterfield at U8, which ended 7-1 to the hosts. That was a nice £15 unexpectedly earned in little over 20 minutes of meandering round a little pitch in the sun.

Straight after this the U14 match kicked off, with Lowdham Colts suffering a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Ashfield Athletic. There were some cracking goals in this game too. A good match to start in full size football with too as I had had doubts about my fitness to get around a pitch for the length of the game but this wasn't an issue as you actually don't do as much running as you would think, despite being almost constantly on the move.

The final game raised a few laughs as those that had spent the day at the ground were noticing I was about to do my third game on the bounce and with the sun beating down, they all wished me luck. Woodhouse Colts Yellows were the visitors and recognising the manager from an FA Coaching course I had taken at MTFC a few years ago, chatted breifly before the game.

His opinion of me had appeared to drop once the game kicked off though as I soon found out he was one of those managers who verbally contested every decision no matter how clear! I don't mind these managers though, in fact I was one myself, so makes a change me being on the receiving end of it. Lowdham Colts Reds U16 won this game 2-1, with the winner coming quite late on, and another belter it was too.

The second half was by far the longest 30 minutes of my life though as severe cramp had set in and I ended the game as one of those refs you see that rarely leave the centre circle! Luckily my eyesight is still with me (just!) so it wasn't noticed that I was lagging well behind play!

After the game, both managers congratulated me for a good game, including Ray (WCFC) who apologised for the fact he turns into an animal once the whistle has started play! A good start to what will hopefully be a very good season.