Those nice surprises!

[SM]

During a nice pre season run out last night I had one of them moments which reminds you why you referee.

Local rivals from last season, a fair but tough game. The extra work I put into my fitness over the summer has paid off handsomely and I am already enjoying a good game of footie.

Then at 1-0 in the second half with not a lot in it, a 16 year old lad comes on up front for the team in the narrow lead. The kid is dynamite! He runs his marker and indeed the whole back 4 ragged for the entire time he is on the pitch. Just watching his enthusiasm, pace and skill was a reminder of what the game is really about. Game ends 6-1.

 

[Grayson]

It's always great to get one of those early on, right? Nothing worse than working hard over the summer, building yourself up physically and mentally, then going through some truly dull run-of-the-mill matches for a couple of weeks.

Similar thing happened last night on the line, home side were missing a couple of key players and went 3-0 to lesser opposition inside 15 minutes. Two speculative long shots and a calamitous own-goal. Shuffle round in the back four and I had constant tight decision after tight decision after tight decision to make. Felt like I got them all spot on, and fitness and focus were good. Wasn't until I sat down at the end that I was like bloody hell aha, I'm knackered. Was tempted to order a taxi to take me to the far end of the car park. Couldn't even get a piggy back.