Games like today's make me want to bring my active career to a close even sooner than planned.
I spent a lot of time last night getting my kit together, washing the mud off my boots and putting them on the radiator to dry, checking I had my notebook, watches, pencils, coin and cards all ready to go. This morning I realised I had no clean shirt to wear to the game, so on went the washing machine (a full "whites" wash) and out came the ironing board so I could iron it dry. I packed my bag and set off to the ground planning to arrive an hour before kick off. All hum drum, run of the mill stuff I have done for the last seven years and represents only part of the preparation that I do for every game.
On arriving at the ground I took a walk out on the field even before I tracked down the secretary to advise of my arrival. I wanted to check out how much water it was holding and how soft the top layer was. I was pleasantly surprised to find that there was only a couple of squelchy patches and these were in low traffic area, so when I was spotted by one of the players I was able to confirm the game was on.
I did a long warm up to make sure I was ready for action and we got underway on time. The early exchanges were simple with the away team using the considerable slope to push the ball forward for their quick young attackers to run on to. After just one such move, the attacker was moving wide to try and get around the advancing centre half but the centre half made a lunging challenge bringing him to the ground. The challenge reminded me of one I had seen during a game I was assessing on two years ago. It was a caution then and this was a caution too.
There was a noticeable uplift in the level of noise from the relatively well populated touchline (probably around 20 home fans and substitutes on a banking above the right hand touchline). It wasn't helped when both sides decided to play offside traps. Now offside is tough enough to call when you get a handful in a game, but the count was in double figures within 15 minutes. I was also adding some more detail into my notebook ...
Despite being under almost constant pressure, the home team made a counter attack in the 11th minute and scored with virtually their first shot on target. The away team pressed forward, the home team pushed their back line higher up the field and it was only a matter of time before one of them got their drill wrong. The home team pushed to the half way line and a ball over the top saw an attacker bearing down on goal with no defenders, save for the goalkeeper between them and an equaliser.
The goalkeeper charged out and when the ball was played past him, he body checked the attacker. The ball had gone up into the air and as it dropped it was played by another attacker who had strayed into an offside position and went towards the goal. I blew my whistle just as the ball entered the goal and players from both teams shouted that I should just award the goal as I moved into the penalty area to deal with the goalkeeper. Unfortunately that wasn't an option and I dismissed the goalkeeper. We had a short break while the goalkeeper swapped shirt and gloves with a substitute who replaced the home team's left winger.
The away team continued to push forward and got their equaliser around the half hour mark. One of their forwards had made one too many fast runs and picked up an injury. Firstly he asked for permission to get treatment off the field of play and then told me he was out of the game. It seems he has been out for 13 weeks with a hamstring injury and felt today was a good time to return. All he managed to do was aggravate the injury, something I know about only too well.
His original strike partner offered his opinion on virtually every decision I was making and in the end I called in his captain to listen in (and support me) while I gave him a very public rebuke. Shortly afterwards he was adjudged offside, looked over his shoulder at me and then lobbed the home team goalkeeper. He collected the game's second caution.
At half time I took my time over the break, returning to my changing room for a drink and two minute sit down. I was feeling the pace, not physically but mentally. I wasn't always able to get myself into the position where I knew I should be. This gave the players more grounds for complaint about decisions made, which were correct, but my positioning meant I couldn't sell them as well as I would have liked.
This was perfectly illustrated when the away team took the lead with a disputed goal just after the start of the second half as the home touchline complained bitterly that an offside offence (number 17?) had occurred. In fact I had to speak strongly to my club assistant about his behaviour and he actually apologised at the final whistle for this actions.
Another incident saw a substitute screaming comments about my decisions, so at the next break in play I took the opportunity to have a chat with him, I made sure he appreciated he was subject to my jurisdiction and if necessary I would dismiss him before he even entered the field of play if he continued his misconduct. His was just one incident of verbal abuse and cat-calling from the touchline. This included one spectator stepping into the field of play to make sure I heard his protests. He was dealt with quickly by his team's manager after I brought the matter to his attention.
Just short of an hour with the score at 2-1 to the away team, they were under a lot of pressure. Despite being reduced to 10 men, the home team used their experience of their field, with the enormous slope from top to bottom and constantly had the away team defenders turning and running towards their own goal. So when they won a rare throw in I was a little concerned when one player picked up the ball, handed it to a second player, who shaped to take a throw, then passed the ball to a third player. In fact so concerned I issued a caution for delaying the restart of play.
The pattern of play continued with both teams now lobbing high balls over the advancing offside traps and suddenly the sun went in. It became very dark, very quickly and this made adjudging offences even more difficult. In the 87th minute however I was able to see a lunging challenge from the home right back which saw him collect the game's fourth and final caution. A number of players were limping off the field at the final whistle and thankfully a few stopped to shake my hand. I then received my apology from my club assistant and we parted on good terms. I made my way off the field thinking carefully about my aches and pains, but more about my plan to continue refereeing until the end of next season.
To be honest, I am considering retiring at the end of this season, if not sooner. Calories 1809 (worked hard today, especially in the second half), average 83%, max hr 95%.
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