Needed to find a card

Really tough PSF tonight for a number of reasons.

Most of the game just seemed niggly and really not sure what I could have done to the stamp it out. Plenty of borderline fouls, some of which I gave, others I waved off trying to keep the game going. Both teams as bad as each other, but both reckoned I was biased to the other team. It probably needed a few yellows, but in all honesty I struggled to find one as the tackles weren't reckless etc just scrappy - 50/50 tussles resulting in someone eventually falling over.

Chatting afterwards with someone he felt it needed a card or two, and I possibly agree, but it was hard to know where to get it from.

The red card was very easy though - OFFINABUS.

Sometimes in a game like that it is time to stop passing on borderline calls. Call everything until the game settles down. And watch for PO. If there are lots of fouls, there is a good chance that there are a couple of main culprits.

One of those YHTBT but most of the time the ones I "let go" were because I couldn't really work out who the culprit was. Blow the whistle, mull it over, defensive free kick. Probably.

I agree about needing to slow it down. It was just hard to find the most appropriate way tonight.

I know it lead to frustration tonight, and their inability to control their emotions is their issue not mine, but it was a struggle.

These are awkward, as we can easy go from looking for that card, to taking it, to ending up with many cards, as having taken the first ' soft' card, we feel obligated to now card the next soft one, and so on

All you can really do is referee what is in front of you, if they want a stop start match then thats what they shall have, on the flip side if they respond to words in passing and everythings good natured, then the game can flow.

throw ins, as near correct place as possible, likewise freekicks
subs, injuries, take as much time aa you can, longer the play is stopped, less uneasy action you have
give every foul, sharply, leaning to defensive team if its a maybe


Suppose if feeling confident you can use the stoppages to at least attempt rapport, balancing act though and it might not pay off, but, if all else has failed kt might be worth a go,

Eventually though if you feel the games about to slip out of your control, pull in the guy who has done his third foul, ' listen, thats not the worst foul ever but the petty fouling has to stop now'
you are then wanting him to foul again , card.
or
opponent to do soft foul, issue them the same warning, and the door is now opened for the next foul to be a card, harsh or not.

the cards are a match control tool, end of the day, its not you as referee committing the foul and no prizes are given for keeping card in pocket, if it takes a harsh one just before ht or just after, to make the remainder of the game less scrappy then so be it.

nothing wrong at the end faking sone empathy too if asked, " ok the card might have seemed harsh but the fouls were mounting up and i had to try something"

I had a PSF last week where one team was committing many fouls between them, mostly on the same 2 players.
Early in 2nd half, I made the conscious decision to caution the next foul on them because I felt the giving of free kicks and chatting to them wasn't working.
When deciding this, about a minute later a borderline careless/reckless foul comes in on one of the 2 always fouled (can imagine the 2 players keep moaning about being fouled) and card came out.
Player got subbed and when he came back on with 5 minutes to go or so, first thing he did was commit another reckless, now bordering SFP, challenge.
2nd yellow and off he goes.
Between the times he was off the game calmed down.

ladbroke8745 said:

I had a PSF last week where one team was committing many fouls between them, mostly on the same 2 players.
Early in 2nd half, I made the conscious decision to caution the next foul on them because I felt the giving of free kicks and chatting to them wasn't working.
When deciding this, about a minute later a borderline careless/reckless foul comes in on one of the 2 always fouled (can imagine the 2 players keep moaning about being fouled) and card came out.
Player got subbed and when he came back on with 5 minutes to go or so, first thing he did was commit another reckless, now bordering SFP, challenge.
2nd yellow and off he goes.
Between the times he was off the game calmed down.

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In addition to the sound advice already given, I suggest a very public word with both captains (together) and give them time to spread the word that cards/sin bins are about to happen unless they behave better.

Thanks everyone. Some sound advice.

Only my second PSF so partly getting my eye back in and the fact it was such a tough one made it harder to do that. On to next one on Tuesday.