Hadn't realised that this had posted as I'd decided to sleep on this overnight.
What I would have said it is it wasn't that I was lacking the courage to report it. The reality is both matches were over (less than 10 mins left, scorelines of around 10-0). I could have done what virtually always happens and simply have a talk with the player but I felt it would be a better learning point for the player to speak to them, explain what happened and issue a caution.
Maybe that's too much of the coach in me coming out, as I guarantee you that at least 99% of the time no card would have been issued (I must have watched around 100 U11s/U12s matches as a coach or parent, and as per above have seen two yellows.
I appreciate that there are different views of the use of cards at this age group, ranging from LOTG are LOTG and they should be applied regardless of age, to sometimes to pretty much never (the first two of those views being held by different trainers when completing my course).
I lean towards the second of those and don't apologise for it, but thanks to the comments on here I certainly won't be issuing warranted yellow cards at this age group and not putting them through, much as I think the fines at this age group should either be lower than adult football or not exist at all.
One last question, which I should know the answer to but don't - does the fine go to the club or the player (in this case their parent/guardian)? If it goes to the club, is it was the club's discretion to pass it on to the player?
