Sunday 1 July 2007

Closed

Due to an offer that could not be refused I am no longer refereeing.

I am now manager of Trident FC in the Notts Amateur Alliance. I have started an alternative blog up following Amateur Football Management and also the Club Website.

PLEASE VISIT

http://amateurfootballmanagement.blogspot.com

&

http://tridentfc.intheteam.com/modules/page/Page.aspx?pc=home&mid=24167&pmid=0

Friday 19 January 2007

Postponed - 20.01.07 & 21.01.07

I have recieved confirmation today that both my games this weekend are off.

So my weekend now consists of a trip to the vets, greyhound racing and watching football.

Thursday 18 January 2007

Preview of Weekend Games 20.01.07 & 21.01.07

On Saturday I am officiating a Notts Amateur Alliance Division 3 match between Bulwell Rangers and Jackson Utd.

I know nothing about either team other than its 3rd (Bulwell Rangers) vs 4th bottom (Jackson Utd). If Bulwell win and results go there way they could be top come 3:50pm.

Sunday I am officiating a Premier Division game on the Notts Combination between Tally Ho and FC Dynamo. An FC Dynamo win will push them toward the leaders for the 'Championship'.

Obviously its all weather permitting and I've heard all council pitches in Nottingham are already off. So I wait to hear if we play or not and will update as necessary.

County Cup Semi Final Appointment

Today I recieved through the post an appointment as Assistant Referee for the Under 18 Challenge Shield Semi Final between Bulwell Town A and AFC Vernon on Saturday 3rd February.

Sunday 14 January 2007

Match Report Holder

I brought a new Match report holder from Official sports and while the quality is good theres no where to put your pencil.....DOH!

Luckily my red card is in my back pocket so my pencil goes in the red card slot....good thinking batman

14.01.07 - DB Bulwell 7 Bestwood Miners Welfare 0

This game really was enjoyable to officiate in, even more so since the two players cautioned seemed to learn a thing or to. Both for dissent. It was a close game, played most of the time in the right spirit. DB Bulwell opened the scoreline in first half added time and then scored 4 times in 20 2nd half minutes killing the game.

The pitch was in fantastic condition taking into account the weather.

In the first half the whistle was only heard on 5 occasions which goes to show the spirit of the game.

One disappointing point was one of my club assistants raised his flag everytime the ball was played forward, needless to say he was overuled on many an occasion.

Saturday 13 January 2007

Sunday 14.01.06

On Sunday, Weather permitting, i'm officiating a Premier Division game in the Notts Combination Sunday League. The game is between DB Bulwell and Bestwood Miners Welfare. Due to the council calling off games midweek the game was switched to Bestwood MW's ground. Luckily the last 36 hours or so has seen very little rain around here so i'm hoping I can finally get out on a pitch.

As a note my one and only red card during my playing days was at Bestwood MW's ground.

13.01.07 - Postponed

For the 2nd time in a week I've had to sit at home, in the warmth and watch the football with a beer due to the bad weather. Ollerton Town vs Forest Town in the Central Midlands Premier Division was postponed at 11am this morning. I was looking forward to catching up with the two other officials I was working with today as I have alot of respect for them both although only working with Rob on one other occasion.

Tuesday 9 January 2007

Postponed

Tuesdays game was called off due to a waterlogged pitch. I now look forward to Saturdays game at Ollerton Town as Assistant Referee in a Central Midlands Premier League Game.

Sunday 7 January 2007

Preview of Midweek Games w/c 08.01.07

I was Scheduled to be officiating Clipstone Reserves vs Welbeck Welfare Reserves in the Central Midlands Reserve Premier Division on Tuesday9th January 2006 but due to Clipstone's 1st team having to play a League Cup replay against Pinxton on this night the game has been rescheduled as the first team are at home. I had been looking forward to this local derby.

I took the call Sunday evening 7th January to be told that the game was off but was pleased to have received an appointment as Assistant Referee for the replay. Olly Maltby is in the middle on Tuesday night and Barry Goodley is the other Assistant.

This game is another chance for me to learn further from other experienced colleagues and I will briefly update anything I learnt that night and will be putting into practice myself.

07.01.07 - Gedling United 4 Calverton Miners Welfare 1

I arrived at Burton Road 45 minutes before kick off expecting to be on my own as my thoughts were game off and no notification.

After walking over the pitch I had to make a tough decision on whether it was playable, whilst no water was on it the surface was sticky and I didn't want to officiate a cup Quarter Final that was a farce. This was possibly my most difficult decision so far this season.

I made the decision to play the game and would re-asses every 10 minutes or so to see how the pitch held out and if it cut up further, both managers accepted my decision. Back in the changing room I made the decision that any more rain before kick off and I would postpone it and during I would abandon. I was lucky the game wasn't farcical and the rain stayed away, well until it hammered it down on my way home.

Whilst doing a player equipment check on the pitch before kick off I was already met by dissent by Calverton. I explained to the Calverton players the above and was met by a threat of " Any of us get injured and you'll have it coming to you".

The game started and it took a good 15 minutes for the teams to adapt. I was honestly expecting top of the table Gedling to hammer bottom club Calverton who have so far played 12 lost 12 in the league but this didn't seem to be the case.

I had reason to caution a Calverton defender in the 20th minute for dissent after giving a free kick against him for sliding in but he played man rather than ball, this decision he couldn't accept but he decided to argue about it some 20 yards away.

3 minutes later Gedling broke the deadlock.

Unfortunately a 2nd caution came, this time for a Calverton Striker for dissent toward an assistant.

Half Time 1-0

The 2nd half wasn't memorable and was easy to officiate. Gedling although scoring on 3 occasions also had three goals disallowed, two for offside, of which one I had to make the decision as the assistant fell asleep, luckily enough for me it was easy to give although I was not in line, as the Gedling striker was inside the area when the ball was played and all defendaers were outside of it. The 3rd was for a foul on a defender.

Calverton got a consolation 3 minutes from time.

Was it the right decision to play the game? Yes with the help and willingness by the players and the luck of the rain staying away and the pitch withstanding 90 minutes of football.

What did I learn today? That some Sunday morning football teams can play football without moaning at me all game.

Saturday 6 January 2007

06.01.07 - Clifton FC 1 Gedling Southbank 'B' 5

Well after taking the missus to work, sorting my two little boys out it was time to make the journey to Green Lane, although mild it was raining.

On arrival I was met with a nice cup of tea and I was also able to sneak in Norwich's 2nd goal against Tamworth.

Changed and out to the wet, muddy, pitch for kick off.

After having had a few words with players after challenges in the difficult conditions it was bottom club Southbank that took the lead. I can't remember the goal but then thats not my job .

Clifton then had to put a central midfielder in goal due to the keeper picking up what looked like a groin injury.

Gedlings 2nd goal came just before half time and this is where the Clifton players decided I just wanted to ruin a game of football. Unfortunately the Clifton centre half played Gedling onside, he was 4 yards to my left in between me and his own keeper, as i was standing looking at the touch line where play was developing. The Gedling player ran onto a through ball from in line with me. We agree he's onside yes? well the flag went up so I overruled it and it became 2-0.

Cue dissent.....of which one continued to shout at the top of his voice about my decision after running approx 15 yards to tell me. Before play was restarted I had cautioned 2 Clifon players for dissent.....well abuse really.

Half time 0-2

15 Mins into the 2nd half Clifton pulled a goal back direct from a corner and game on, or so I thought. My thoughts at this stage were to keep the next 10minutes in the game tight, ie. some advantages played in the first half wouldn't be, unless there was an obvious goalscoring opportunity. Gedling hit back 5 minutes later with 2 goals in 3 minutes making it 4-1 and killing the game dead. I then had reason to caution the Clifton replacement keeper and skipper for persistant dissent. He'd been upset since he ran into the back of me halfway through the first half for some reason even though I was running in the same direction, ok jogging in the same direction, he still couldn't see me.

A comment that made me laugh was by a Clifton player who halfway through the 2nd half accused me of wanting to send him off. Hello if I had wanted to send him off I would not have spent the 2nd half talking to him to ensure he didn't do anything stupid although if I was being assessed I would have been picked up on not issuing a 2nd caution and a red card for his persistant infringing. Obviously I wanted to send him off ?!?!?

Gedling made it 5 in the 88th minute, this was just after I had cautioned the 4th and final Clifton player for a late, reckless challenge.

On reflection my performance was good, fitness needs work on but has improved since the start of the season and the heavy pitch didn't help but I can see the reason for the dissent wasn't due to my performance but due to Cliftons frustration at getting heavily defeated by the bottom club and not playing as a team.

Friday 5 January 2007

Preview of Weekend Games 06.01.07 & 07.01.07

On Saturday I am officiating at Green Lane, Clifton. Clifton 'A' vs Gedling Southbank 'B' in the Notts Amateur Alliance Div 2.

This is my first refereeing experience at Green Lane since I qualified in December 2005.

Sunday sees me officiate at Burton Road, Gedling in a Notts Combination Senior Cup Quarter Final, Gedling United vs Calverton Miners Welfare (Sunday).

This is top against bottom of the Premier Division and with it being a Cup game is a match I am looking forward too.

My last game in this competition was a Division 1 team winning 5-4 aet against their Premier Division visitors.

I will of Course give you the Referee's view and how both matches finished.