Game 54

With the clocks going forward last night I expected a few late arrivals at my second relegation battle of the weekend. Both clubs sit firmly inside the bottom 5 of the Premier Division of the local Sunday League and while the home team has games in hand, they need points to ensure safety for next season.

This was a funny little game, split firmly into two halves of contrasting styles of football, possession and behaviour. In the first half the away team kept the ball low, moved it quickly around the field and complained about every decision made - even those made in their favour!!! In the first half the home team looked ill at ease and lacking in penetration, often losing possession at crucial times - maybe they had next week's cup semi-final on their minds?

In the second half the away team resorted to pumping the ball high and long for their forwards to run on to while the home team passed the ball slickly. Their forwards and wingers often went on mazy runs cutting swathes through the away team defence, often drawing a foul challenge or two. My confidence was relatively high after yesterday's game, the fact that I had refereed both teams recently and had a fair idea of who would be giving me problems.

Before we started the pre-match inspection revealed a player with two studs missing from one boot. As I explained to him, he wouldn't drive a car with a wheel missing so why try playing football with two studs missing from a boot? He changed his boots and spent all of the first half trying to referee the game for me.

We kicked off in bright sunshine and the first real action involved the home centre half kicking the ball in a fantastic lob over his own goalkeeper to give the away team an early lead. They responded well and when the ball was crossed, I'm watching a defender holding the arm of an attacker. As the ball drops, the attacker cannot jump to head the ball because his arm is being held.

I go for the whistle, raise it and begin to blow ... just as another defender tries to play the ball and kicks it into his own goal (arrrggghhhh!!!). Fortunately the kick from the penalty mark was scored!!! Things became a little tense for one of the away players and he had three loud complaints at my expense. On his second I brought his captain in to explain a decision in front of the offending player and he gave him a piece of his mind. A few minutes later he picked up the game's first caution for saying something out of turn. He also had to take some time out as I noticed a trail of blood running from a cut on his knee. He was able to return to the game after getting it covered.

We reach half time without much else happening and the great turnaround mentioned above took place. On one of the first of the mazy runs a home attacker was heavily challenged and fell to the ground. The culprit was the player with the changed boots. He'd already had two warnings for trying to referee my game, so I issued the game's second caution to him. The game stayed fairly combative and relatively high tempo. With just 4 minutes left the home team scored a well worked goal. The away team went up the other end courtesy of one of their goalkeepers long and high balls.

As the home goalkeeper came to collect the ball he was challenged by an attacker who fell to the ground claiming he had been kicked in the ribs. Now as this was the 89th minute, it had been warm throughout the game and I was still suffering from my man-flu, I was about 20 rather than the preferred 15 yards away. Nevertheless I didn't think he had been fouled and despite his comments I chose not to award him a kick from the penalty mark.

As the ball was thrown back into play (thrown out by the home goalkeeper so the injured player could be assessed by his coach) confusion reigned in front of the home goal as the right back, left back and goalkeeper all conspired to give the away team a great chance to score which they wasted. The game finished soon afterwards with a score of 2-1, 1148 calories, max hr 87% average 72%. I did a full warm down as I have another game scheduled for Tuesday and I don't admit admitting I was a little creaky by the end of this one.