Game 57

Like the Heinz varieties, this game had a lot of ingredients and flavours, all of which provided me, my assistants and both teams with a classic cup semi-final ... in my humble opinion. It certainly gave me the lift I needed after my demoralising game yesterday.

In keeping with the other high profile games I have looked after this season I decided that my team would lead the two teams out, line them up and carry out the Respect handshake. Despite a few choice comments from the players, all good natured banter in truth, they did pretty well for players who play at a pretty low level in the grand scheme of things. The game kicked off a little late but I don't think anyone cared.

The pace was fast, the challenges hard and the third team were kept busy. With Landy on one line and Marine Boy on the other, I was happy with their level of support throughout the game, with just a couple of wobbles from all three of us. The second named team (the "away" team) were trying to play the ball through their small lynch pin and the "home" team were rotating the players who were fouling him. As a result two picked up cautions for persistent infringement. The first caution however went to a player who usually plays in goal, His late and hard challenge on the same opposition player left me no option after just 7 minutes.

The touchline wanted him dismissed but I never listen to spectators, so he stayed and he actually switched to playing in goal for the second half - a wise move. The half was drawing to a close without any score and I honestly thought we could play to midnight without a goal. Both teams were just cancelling one another out but as both captains later described it, "things were a little bit tasty!!!" and we all had to keep our wits about us.

A free kick around 30 yards out to the away team saw their most "vociferous" player step up. As he prepared for his kick a shout from the home team, referring to a slip a few minutes previously, shouted, "Slip Rob, slip ..." Well slip he did ... he slipped the ball hard and low to the goalkeeper's left and the ball nestled inside the goal post - 0-1!

So it was expected that we would reach half time at the same score, but we'd had a few stoppages for injury assessment, so I had 4 minutes of added time. The home team made good use of it as the ball pinged around the inside of the opposition penalty area. Two players looked as if they were offside but on checking with my assistant, he still had his flag down. It was only when the ball was played into the goal that I noted a defender who had stepped off the field of play, limping back infield. His comments to me soon stopped his team mates appeals for offside, as he admitted he had been just off the field. I decided not to caution him as he had appeared to have fallen over the line when challenging for the ball and it was just like the Ruud van Nistelrooy's goal at Euro 2008!

The second half was a little less eventful as one player picked up a caution for persistent infringement (strangely enough it was the victim of the foul rotation in the first half). On one challenge I signalled and shouted that the player had made a fair challenge and one of the home team told me to "F*ck off!". Now this could be interpreted as OFFINABUS but I took it as dissent. His problem was that he already had one caution from the first half and therefore got dismissed.

Just a minute later, the away team sneaked a second and winning goal. The game continued in blood and thunder mode through to the end and although I was tired, I had wanted an equaliser to take us to extra time. I haven't enjoyed a game so much for such a long time.

After we had made our way back to the changing rooms, one of the away club officials said he was very pleased with how things had gone and with my team's management of the game. I lost count of how many players said the same thing - well done for controlling the game and managing it well, while at the same time, not ruining the run of the game as so easily could have happened. Even the losing manager had time to share a few jokes with me and at my expense, but all in jest. I cannot remember feeling as elated after a game for such a long, long time.

Calories 1438, average hr 80%, max hr 94%. I now have a rest until next Sunday when I look after the first of three games in three days. I might even pick up a game on Saturday to make it four in four. For now, its feet up for a rest.