Game 48

Easy one this between the reigning Supply League Champions and the team which has finished runners-up in the two seasons prior to that - not!

I'd never met the referee for today but I knew the other assistant from the Youth tournament I've been doing in the summer for the last 6 years. He was also Dee-El who ran around 3400m in last night's fitness test. I was pleased to hear that he had a few aches in his calves today (he-he!).

The game was a toughish one to manage but the referee did a great job issuing only two cautions when I might have dished out 4-5. He tried to play some brave advantages and most of them came off for him. So he had a good day.

Dee-El ran his socks off on the line helping out the referee to award a kick from the penalty mark for the home team. It came a little too late. They had shipped 3 first half goals and a 4th in the second before the home team got themselves into gear.

As for me, I was loping up and down the line, nursing my tweaky leg through. I forgot it most of the time especially on two occasions in the second half and one in the first. In the first I managed to drop my flag while trying to swap hands when awarding a corner kick. At the start of the second half one of the home players was substituted and then talked to his friends near the perimeter fence. Space was tight and as the ball was played through, I stumbled over his toes and went sprawling.

The third incident made it all up to me. I had noted 4 WAGs of players near the half way line and as I stood there waiting for play to restart during an injury assessment, I heard one say that they thought I had nice legs while the other commented on my backside. As I smirked I was brought down to earth by another spectator who promptly told me that it wasn't me they were talking about. I pointed out that they couldn't possibly be talking about the other assistant as he was too far away.

In between times, the home side pulled back 3 goals to set up a grandstand finish. They would have gotten a draw had it not been for the excellent/brave saves by the away keeper who seemed superhuman at times.

So 1271 calories burned with an average of 73%, max 91% - a stroll ... honest