Frozen

Feeling slightly guilty at having given backword on my Sunday League game to ensure I wasn't late for my Minor FA game this afternoon, when I found out that the referee didn't want me there until 1:30, I rang the Appointments Secretary and asked for a game.

I was sent to a council owned facility which has 5 fields. On arrival there seemed to be a lot of dismal looking players standing around. I was met with a few choice comments about wearing a suit and tie (I was heading straight to the Minor FA game from the ground) and gave a few back. I was then greeted by a refereeing colleague who had called a game off already.

I spotted another more senior colleague conducting a field inspection and made my way across. His concerns were the same as mine, that the fields were ok but the goal areas without any grass were bone hard. I took a walk across the road to find my home team stripped and warming up. I took a wander around the field and noted the firm conditions in the top goal area. After 10 minutes criss crossing the field I had found nothing to make me call the game off.

I went back to the goal area near the road and saw what I had feared. The ground was bare, without a blade of grass, over an area of more than 6sq metres. As I walked on it the players began to crowd around. I called the goalkeeper out and told him I wasn't happy for the game to go ahead and he replied by saying he was relieved as he didn't want to dive around in the goal area. So game off!

On my way back to the car park I met another referee and he was calling his off too. The Appointments Secretary and League Secretary both arrived and initially grumbled about the decisions to postpone the games but, after looking at one of the goal areas (probably the one in the best condition), they agreed with the call.

I phoned Fat Lad to find that his game had already been called off. We met at another field, found that was called off and on visiting another field, we found that was off too. In between times I received a text message from the referee for my Minor FA game to say that was off too!!!

Fat Lad then asked me to take his Junior game this afternoon but I was heading home to watch Histon vs LUFC in the FA Cup 2nd Round! No doubt I'll suffer in training tomorrow ...

P.S. Game report from yesterday's Supply League line to follow ...