Game 65

I love games like this one. The home team were relegated midweek and only have pride to play for, meanwhile the away team, if they win all their games will take the league title.

I met the referee Rob at the usual meeting place at Tingley and we tootled up the A1 to our venue. The other Assistant Adam (son of the referee I am assisting next weekend) arrived soon after us and we did our pre-match out on the field. There was no sign of the assessor, but when we came out to warm-up, the heavens opened and we faced driving rain, hailstones, as well as thunder and lightning. Not really an ideal start and when we saw the assessor waving at us from the warmth of his car, we couldn't help but have a giggle.

The game started brightly enough and two early offside calls settled me into the pace of the game. The home team scored with a looping drive after 16 minutes and the tempo went up a few notches. Tackles flew in from each side and Rob did well to keep everything under control. One clash saw a player receive cuts around his eye which bled heavily. He also wiped it on his shirt so had to have a change. The game reached half time and we knew the away team, chasing the league title would come out with a bang.

Things got a little more frantic and the player who had the cuts around his eye was among those collecting a caution. Then as the ball was played forward to his main attacker, this player was fouled on the edge of the opponent's penalty area and it seemed to me that it was DOGSO. Rob ran over to me to confirm it wasn't a penalty kick and ask about the DOGSO, which I confirmed but I hadn't gotten the offending player's number as I was always looking across the field of play.

The free kick was played in but a reckless challenge saw an attacking player (Mr Cut Eye) receive his second caution and he was sent off. The defending team went up the other end and almost immediately scored an equaliser. They doubled their score a few minutes later and finished off the scoring with a penalty kick.

The game went up another notch and again Rob controlled it well. So we finished at 1-3 and the away team continue their march towards the title. I burned off 1482 calories, which is a lot for a line. Average hr was 79% (I think) and the max was 94%.

My knee, which had been aching all week, didn't restrict me too much and felt very good after getting warmed. My useless hamstring was complaining near the end of the game so as a precaution I sat on a bag of ice for around 30 minutes when I got home. It seems to have done the trick as the ache has gone and apart from feeling very tired, I'm beginning to settle into a relaxing evening.

The nerves for tomorrow morning were just starting to bubble up again so I made myself a sandwich - gammon, grated cheese, grated onion and some Nando's peri-peri hot sauce. I may stink at the moment, but my thoughts were taken away from tomorrow for a while. They are starting to creep up again ...