Game 29

Today was similar to yesterday in that I changed at a cricket club, when I arrived it was bitterly cold/overcast and it was a cup game.

There the similarities ended as I arrived before the keyholder, so had to hang around for 5 minutes before getting access to the field and changing rooms. I completed my usual pre-match and we got underway. This was a game between the 2nd and 3rd placed team in our local Sunday League and it was to be a cracker.

The home team started a man short and had someone on their way from their warm bed. Just as we started the sun went in and the freezing driving rain started to fall, but it stopped after seconds and we spent most of the game in brightish, warm and blinding sunshine.

The early exchanges were even and the away team just started to exert some control because of their numerical superiority when the home team, through their central midfielder discovered they could pass forward. Their missing team mate arrived and suddenly we had an even contest. A nasty challenge a few yards outside the away penalty area saw the game's first caution but the free kick was wasted. The ball was returned wide, with the resulting cross being fired into a crowded penalty area. It bobbled around for a second or two before being poked into the goal. 1-0 to the home team.

A few minutes later a player decided to offer his opinion on one of my decisions. He didn't do it to my face but in a sneaky way as a muttered comment to an opponent. He got the game's second caution. We got to half time without further incident and a welcome rest from running around in the cold.

The second half saw neither team take full control of the game but the away team did find themselves defending deeper and deeper into their own half, but their defence was resolute despite their goalkeeper clearly struggling to move around. Both teams were becoming cranky with the performance of their team mates and I was pleased as this was diverting from any slips I was making (very, very few I may add).

Suddenly the away team wilted and the home team pressed and pressed in search of a second and surely game-winning goal. It never came and my last action of note was to caution yet another player from the away team,. again for spouting about a decision I had made, taking his team's (and the game's) tally to 3. So the game finished shortly afterwards at 1-0, reflecting the closeness of the game. Personally I was happy to get through this one as I've never refereed the home team before in 5 years of working on this league and the away team usually give me trouble (I don't count 3 cautions as trouble by the way). I burned off 1368 calories with a 75% average and a 89% max. Easy run out!