Game 24

Earlier this week I noticed on the County website that referees were required to look after games in a newly formed U21 Floodlit League which had been set up recently. I fired off an e-mail and was pleasantly surprised to receive a phone call from Shutts asking me to do a game tonight.

Any game is better than training so I agreed to accept the appointment only to be told that this was the opening game in the league - no pressure there then! Having spent yesterday undertaking testing at our office across the Pennines and today in the company of my department director delivering some work related training/information, a good runaround a field was just what I needed!!!

On arriving at the venue I found the field relatively easily but there was no one around. I changed into my warm up outfit and was then greeted by one of the teams arriving for the game and Reg a County FA representative. I met Shutts part way through my warm up and everyone around the field seemed very excited about the game. I got both teamsheets, organised a Respect programme handshake between the teams and got the game underway.

It was a very good game, played competitively but fairly with a lot of respect for the opponents and for me as a match official. I awarded two kicks from the penalty mark (one to each team) during the first half and had a quiet word with one player for a comment he made. I also had words with the player conceding the second kick from the penalty mark to let him know on another day he might have been dismissed for DOGSO.

The game swung backwards and forward with neither team really getting the upper hand. Some fantastic goals were scored (including a hat trick for the home striker who was later substituted because of a groin injury) and I got a really good workout pounding up and down the field. This seems a good time to mention that the field was not grass and mud but was a Third Generation artificial surface, commonly known as 3G.

It played quite well and only occasionally did the ball fall flattish or take an unusual spin. The only two other matters to note were the absence of corner flags, which I have mentioned in my match report and also the home team trying to field a substitute who wasn't named on the team sheet. Unfortunately I couldn't let the player participate and I could understand his frustration and disappointment.

A late winner for the away team snatched the inaugural victory for them and the league is underway. 1611 calories burned off, hr max 93% with an 80% average - better than training!!!