RegalRef
Politically Incorrect
Had a game yesterday, my third of 3 assessments.
Finished Red 1-6 Blue, 7 yellows, one red, two penalties, a manager sent off, a substitution refused and a partridge in a pear tree.
I knew it was to be assessed as the assessor is also the secretary at my RA, and he mentioned it at Tuesdays meeting. An odd fellow but one I've always tried to get along with since day one for obvious reasons.
Turned up in good time to meet assessor (about an hour before kick off), had the usual assessment conversations and then before I went to get changed was telling me about some of his past experiences with the away team. I'd had both teams a few times before so I took it on board but didn't give it too much thought.
I go out to warm up and check the pitch and am shouted by the home manager, who is warming his team up on the pitch next to the one allocated.
"Err, ref, we'll be playing on this pitch today. Thanks."
"Err, no, we'll be playing on that pitch, the one that has the corner flags, has been allocated to us by the club and is freshly marked. Thanks." By chance the assessor was in earshot, but it wasn't for his benefit.
Team sheets exchanged before kick off, pitch inspection done and we kick off. I go in really hard with every decision to set the tone first 15 minutes in what from the off seems a fiesty and niggly game. It settles down and I start to slacken the reins a little.
20 minutes in, award a routine offside on the edge of the 6 yard box. Keeper takes it and plays to defender who takes the ball about 1 yard inside the penalty area. I whistle to retake as the ball didnt come out and players from both teams getting mouthy, resulting for first caution - Blue 2, dissent. I'm happy i'm correct in law but match control seems mildly moved.
10 minutes before half time Blue 4 goes in with Red 3 for a 50/50 ball, both sliding feet first. As challenge goes in Blue 4 clips Red with trailing leg. I'm confident there's no intent and it was clumsy but caution Blue for his reaction, which was right in front of his bench.
Manager starts gobbing off so I take my time to read him the riot act and 'take this as your warning, if I need to speak to you again I will be asking you to remove yourself from the vicinity of the field of play'.
We get going again, blue eventually score (from a decent advantage that as usual nobody noticed) and we get to half time 0-1.
Assessor was stood by my drink so I speak to him at half time, general chit chat.
We get ready to kick off second half and I ask Blue manager if he has any subs, no, Red skipper says they do.
I go over to Red bench and manager has a sub lined up to come on, I ask name, not in my book. I pull team sheet from pocket - not on team sheet. "Sorry pal, he's not listed, he can't play." They took it surprisingly well so maybe he knew. Assessor I have with me is also the Competition Secretary for this particular Cup, so hoping that goes in my favour too.
We go again for second half, Blue go 2 up and on a break away Blue gets into penalty area and Red 6 jumps in from side and cleans him out.I'm about 10 yards away, instantly award a stone wall penalty and caution the defender (was a genuine attempt to win the ball and striker had another Red defender jockeying in front of him). Blue score the penalty to go 0-3 up.
15 relatively uneventful minutes pass, I award a penalty to Red for a pull on striker right in front of me which only the striker, offender, goalkeeper and myself could ever really see, naturally two of those 3 deny everything.
Blue Manager starts going again so I have no choice but to send him away. Red score penalty. 1-3.
Couple of cautions for foul tackles, Blue score twice more and game is under control.
Constant blue pressure catches Red 6 with the ball on the edge of his own penalty area. Blue dispossessed him and his past him, Red cynically trips him. Second Yellow and Red.
Game cruised out from there really, blue score one more to win 1-6 and glad to end an action packed game.
Now just waiting anxiously for the report...
Finished Red 1-6 Blue, 7 yellows, one red, two penalties, a manager sent off, a substitution refused and a partridge in a pear tree.
I knew it was to be assessed as the assessor is also the secretary at my RA, and he mentioned it at Tuesdays meeting. An odd fellow but one I've always tried to get along with since day one for obvious reasons.
Turned up in good time to meet assessor (about an hour before kick off), had the usual assessment conversations and then before I went to get changed was telling me about some of his past experiences with the away team. I'd had both teams a few times before so I took it on board but didn't give it too much thought.
I go out to warm up and check the pitch and am shouted by the home manager, who is warming his team up on the pitch next to the one allocated.
"Err, ref, we'll be playing on this pitch today. Thanks."
"Err, no, we'll be playing on that pitch, the one that has the corner flags, has been allocated to us by the club and is freshly marked. Thanks." By chance the assessor was in earshot, but it wasn't for his benefit.
Team sheets exchanged before kick off, pitch inspection done and we kick off. I go in really hard with every decision to set the tone first 15 minutes in what from the off seems a fiesty and niggly game. It settles down and I start to slacken the reins a little.
20 minutes in, award a routine offside on the edge of the 6 yard box. Keeper takes it and plays to defender who takes the ball about 1 yard inside the penalty area. I whistle to retake as the ball didnt come out and players from both teams getting mouthy, resulting for first caution - Blue 2, dissent. I'm happy i'm correct in law but match control seems mildly moved.
10 minutes before half time Blue 4 goes in with Red 3 for a 50/50 ball, both sliding feet first. As challenge goes in Blue 4 clips Red with trailing leg. I'm confident there's no intent and it was clumsy but caution Blue for his reaction, which was right in front of his bench.
Manager starts gobbing off so I take my time to read him the riot act and 'take this as your warning, if I need to speak to you again I will be asking you to remove yourself from the vicinity of the field of play'.
We get going again, blue eventually score (from a decent advantage that as usual nobody noticed) and we get to half time 0-1.
Assessor was stood by my drink so I speak to him at half time, general chit chat.
We get ready to kick off second half and I ask Blue manager if he has any subs, no, Red skipper says they do.
I go over to Red bench and manager has a sub lined up to come on, I ask name, not in my book. I pull team sheet from pocket - not on team sheet. "Sorry pal, he's not listed, he can't play." They took it surprisingly well so maybe he knew. Assessor I have with me is also the Competition Secretary for this particular Cup, so hoping that goes in my favour too.
We go again for second half, Blue go 2 up and on a break away Blue gets into penalty area and Red 6 jumps in from side and cleans him out.I'm about 10 yards away, instantly award a stone wall penalty and caution the defender (was a genuine attempt to win the ball and striker had another Red defender jockeying in front of him). Blue score the penalty to go 0-3 up.
15 relatively uneventful minutes pass, I award a penalty to Red for a pull on striker right in front of me which only the striker, offender, goalkeeper and myself could ever really see, naturally two of those 3 deny everything.
Blue Manager starts going again so I have no choice but to send him away. Red score penalty. 1-3.
Couple of cautions for foul tackles, Blue score twice more and game is under control.
Constant blue pressure catches Red 6 with the ball on the edge of his own penalty area. Blue dispossessed him and his past him, Red cynically trips him. Second Yellow and Red.
Game cruised out from there really, blue score one more to win 1-6 and glad to end an action packed game.
Now just waiting anxiously for the report...
