The Ref Stop

Dartford v Hampton & Richmond

It looks just about playable to me, but I'd only be starting it if the weather forecast was clear that there was no chance of further rain during the game. Any additional water on there and I suspect it wouldn't have finished.
 
The Ref Stop
Fair enuf! In truth, aside from a frozen pitch, if both teams were keen to play in slop, i'd have great difficulty saying no. In reality however, most groundsmen are calling off 3 days in advance at the mere threat of drizzle
 
Sheffields Finest said:
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Parity like it’s 1975......
Same game and much safe fun was had by all...
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If I'd refereed that and seen the groundsman heading in my direction after the game I would be a very worried man ...!

From that angle I am much less convinced that it was playable. Having refereed at that ground, I don't recall there being a slope so it is strange that one side of the pitch has been destroyed but the other side looks OK. I can't see the ball rolling at all on that touchline.
 
RustyRef said:
If I'd refereed that and seen the groundsman heading in my direction after the game I would be a very worried man ...!

From that angle I am much less convinced that it was playable. Having refereed at that ground, I don't recall there being a slope so it is strange that one side of the pitch has been destroyed but the other side looks OK. I can't see the ball rolling at all on that touchline.
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Possibly a drainage issue on that side?

I don’t live too far from Dartford and on Friday it rained pretty heavily pretty much non stop between 10 and 6ish
 
zarathustra said:
Possibly a drainage issue on that side?

I don’t live too far from Dartford and on Friday it rained pretty heavily pretty much non stop between 10 and 6ish
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There shouldn't really be a drainage problem with a new build ground, but who knows.
 
This was the point i made earlier in the thread about the ball not rolling and the risk of a goal not being a goal. This view was derided, although I'm sure there's a case to be made for avoiding a farcical outcome. That said, i understand the views aired in response. I just wondered if there was official guidance on the subject. Ironically, the rest of the Woking pitch looks like a bowling green...
 
The goal is scored due to the actions of defender switching off and giving up the ghost
This is why its a goal. Had the defender defended, played, as a footballer should, then the park conditions are secondary.
 
It hasn't been mentioned yet but another factor for me would be whether the pitch markings were clear and visible - they don't appear to be in at least 2/3 of these pictures.
 
Big Cat said:
Nothing to do with safety. Very real chance of a 'goal' getting stuck in the sludge rather than rolling over the line
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This is a big thing. The game becomes an absolute farce if the ball keeps stopping in standing water. Completely absurd.

And having that level of unpredictability in the ball isn't great for the player's safety either.

And if you have the sort of situation where 2 players can be challenging the ball when it's in water and it keeps going nowhere, then you definitely shouldn't be playing.
 
OIREF! said:
It hasn't been mentioned yet but another factor for me would be whether the pitch markings were clear and visible - they don't appear to be in at least 2/3 of these pictures.
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Yes I was surprised no one mentioned that. Especially picture 3, the markings are clearly not visible, so as an AR you are basically guessing close calls in that area of the pitch - OK for low levels, but surprised deemed OK at this level.
 
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