Match 19 - Willoughby Old Boys vs Cripps Old Boys

I thought it was all over, but it wasn’t! Having proclaimed last Wednesday to be my last match, I subsequently got invited to referee another game today – between the Old Boys teams from Willoughby and Cripps.

There were plenty of players I recognised in both teams. With Luke on one line and a Willoughby substitute on the other, we kicked off. Within a minute, it was kick off time again, as Cripps rushed into an early lead. They added a second in the 33^rd minute – defenders claimed that the ball had gone out of play but the Willoughby linesman (to his credit) told me that it was definitely a goal. Anyway, the 2-0 score at the end of the 40-minute half really didn’t reflect the fact that the game had been quite even, with both teams having their share of possession and chances. As always, I kept out of the way where I could, and played one particularly good advantage for which I got praise as we left the field at half time.

With the score at 2-0, the next goal would likely prove crucial to which way the game swung. In the end, somewhat disappointingly, Cripps got it in the 45^th minute – they did take their chances better overall. Willoughby pulled one back five minutes later, but Cripps secured a 4-1 victory when they added a fourth in the 73^rd minute.

Talking points for me were relatively few; a couple of times I didn’t know which way the decision should go and Luke was quick to notice my uncertainty! I seemed to manage to get in the way of play a couple of times, notably when a Willoughby player’s shot deflected off my head and out of play for a goal kick (they claimed a corner, of course!). I let things go which I perhaps could have pulled up, but the players just got on with it for the most part. Cripps players do like to engage in a bit of backchat now and again, but I just played along. Luke was determined that I should send someone off in my final game but, as usual, I didn’t show a single yellow card. There were a couple of occasions on which I might have done so, but I let them pass.

Knowing that this would likely be my final game of my three years, I gave a suitably dramatic final whistle, only for the arriving Hugh Stewart Old Boys team to invite us to referee again. I offered Luke the opportunity to do the game, and he accepted when he found out that they only had the pitch for an hour. In the end, their game against Cripps Freshers was something of a non-event, as we played only 40 minutes with a short break in the middle. Hugh Stu ran out comfortable 5-0 winners – the quickest thrashing I have witnessed in my time here! I ran one of the lines (we only had one linesman) and gave a few offsides and a foul, but there was nothing controversial to worry about for either of us.

As I write now, I am rather tired once again, having struggled through two games, the first in searing heat, which didn’t make it easy for anyone. Still, for someone as well built as I am I still seem to fare rather better than some of the noticeably slimmer players (not that there was anyone fatter than me out there!); I have to mention Caesari, who started whinging about being tired about 10 minutes into the 80!

Altogether, I think I’m now finished! The chances of getting any more games in the last few days of term are fairly small, although I suppose you never know. The game this afternoon was a nice way to go out though, particularly with some of the Cripps players with whom my time refereeing has been inextricably linked. Assuming that is the case, my next note will be my end of season review, detailing all the games I’ve been involved in this year, and then I will pen a review of my three years, picking out some of the highlights, lowlights, and the bizarre and amusing moments. As someone once said - they think it’s all over…it (almost) is now!

Matches 17 & 18 - The Jubilee Cup and the Geography battle

My busy week of football continued with two matches this afternoon! The second I had known about for several weeks but the first was thrust upon me only some 24 hours before. In this piece, I shall describe both, and they were somewhat different.

The first was the 'Jubilee Cup' game between Newark Hall and Southwell Hall. Like any neighbouring halls, they share something of a rivalry and this week a whole range of sporting events were taking place between them to contest the Jubilee Cup, with this afternoon's football match being one of them. The game also pitted the winners of the IMS Cup against the winners of the Plate, so both teams must surely have had good seasons.

Of course, that's not to say it would be an easy afternoon for me. Local derbies can be volatile, so I figured I might need my wits about me. Early on, things started pretty well though - some nice easy fouls and nothing controversial. The main moment of controversy came about 20 minutes in - with a pivotal decision. As a Southwell forward was heading into the area his shirt appeared to be pulled and he went down. He was bearing down on goal, so any foul should really lead to a sending off in that situation. I had to make an instant judgement, and went for the grass-cutter to wave the claim away. Why? Well, its a decision you see given sometimes, but equally you often don't. I went with my gut reaction - it certainly wasn't a stonewall penalty. Had it been on TV, some pundits would have lambasted me for not giving it - others would have been equally critical if I had. I don't think I could really win either way. The benefit of the doubt went to the defence, and I am happy with the decision. Southwell weren't though, and when I refused them a free kick on the edge of their own area some minutes later, after which Newark then hit the post, they weren't impressed. Newark did take the lead in the 32nd minute, and thats how it stayed at half-time.

The second half saw the game open up more, and as the half got going I sensed my interventions were being needed less and I was able to start playing advantage more. Newark went through a period midway through the half where they thought I wasn't giving them anything too, so I clearly wasn't being biased! In the end, they proved too strong for Southwell, adding a second in the 72nd minute with a looping header and then two further goals in the last five minutes to add a gloss to the scoreline which didn't really reflect a competitive game between two fairly well-matched teams. The difference was perhaps that Newark created more chances - the Newark keeper didn't really have a difficult save to make and, although Southwell hit the post in the second half, that was about it. The better team won.

The game could have been more difficult for me than it was. Opinion will be divided on the penalty claim - I'm happy with how I saw it - but putting that to one side I think that otherwise I did well. I probably got a few of the basic decisions wrong at times (there seemed a period in the second half where I made a few bizarre calls perhaps) but I kept the game under control without showing a card. I let the tackles come in, I let the players be physical and didn't make it stop-start, trying to keep it flowing, particularly in the second half where the game opened up more. You often sense how games change in mood when you referee them, and I sensed as the game wore on that I could take more chances and let things go a little more. Altogether, a good afternoon's work.

I then had just under an hour to relax before my next game. This one was between the Geography Society (students) and Geography lecturers. I gathered that this game is an annual fixture, and indeed the lecturers were resplendent in their own sky blue kit! They had some younger players (perhaps PhD students) but some of them were getting on, and so they were allowed to play with 12 men and the game was restricted to two 30-minute halves.

I wondered if I would run out of space for all the goals on my sheet, but it wasn't like that at all. Having had a debatable penalty decision in my first game, I then had an obvious one in this game as a GeogSoc forward was unceremoniously tripped by a defender in the area. The penalty was scored. However, the lecturers went almost straight up the other end and equalised! 1-1, and it was something of a surprise. The game was a far more relaxed affair than the previous one, with less tension, although some of the tackles weren't particularly well-timed. When another lecturer tripped a GeogSoc forward in the area before half time, I had no choice but to point to the spot again! This time, however, the penalty was hit against the post. 1-1 at half time then.

Into the second half, and the students gradually began to control the game. They went ahead thanks to a beautifully headed own goal in the 35th minute, added a third in the 47th (despite claims of offside - as I had no linesman I gave the goal even though the claims were probably justified), and later added another two. I then ruled out a goal for offside at the end, although apparently the ball came off a defender this time - although the forward was definitely in an offside position! It just shows how difficult it is to spot these things when you have no assistants - with so many players and so many things to watch you can't have you're eyes in that many places at once. The only other incident of note was a bad tackle by a lecturer who came right through poor Jamie. I should have booked him for it - perhaps I was sympathetic somehow to the 'age thing', but I gave him a yellow when he committed another foul later on - to the joy of both the students and his colleagues on the touchline!

In the end, the socreline of 5-1 to GeogSoc appears comfortable but it doesn't really tell the whole story. The better team clearly won, but it was closer than that for a long while - as the game wore on, tiredness got to the lecturers and they made more mistakes. The game was great fun to referee, and the lecturers claimed for the most ludicrous decisions at times! In the end, despite having been worried about potential problems in my earlier game, the only yellow card came in the second encounter!

And that may well be that. I don't now have any more matches left at this stage - whether I'll receive any more invitations over the course of the next week or so remains to be seen. But it could well be that I have now bowed out of refereeing football here at Nottingham. I won't get all emotional about that now though - I'll save that for my end-of-season review!

Match 16 - Willoughby First and Second Years

Today's match at least ensured I got out of bed early! A 10.30 kick-off for this one after the Uni team had asked Willoughby to move the time of their first v second years game as they had a tournament taking place during the afternoon.

The first years, who I had refereed a couple of times during the year, had always struck me as a very good footballing side. They dominated possession for the first minute or so, and then promptly conceded a goal after a mix-up between the keeper and defender. 1-0 to the second years then. The first years had the lion's share of possession in the first half, and most of the play seemed to be in the half they were attacking. It took until two minutes before the break for them to snatch an equaliser. The half was one of the easiest I've refereed - I think there were only about three fouls for me to give! Along, of course, with the customary bits of advantage play.

Into the second half, and the first years struck the first blow in the 49th minute. There were muted claims that there had been a foul in the build up - I hadn't had a very clear view and Luke running the line gave nothing - he reckoned the defender fell over by himself. The half was much more even, and as it wore on began to flow from end to end with both teams having opportunities. However, the first years perhaps had the better of the chances, and extended their lead in the 68th minute despite claims of offside - Luke kept his flag down. An own goal in the 77th minute added a fourth goal for them and things were pretty comfortable. The second years scored with the last kick of the game but by then it was academic, and the first years completed a fairly comfortable 4-2 win.

It was not a testing game to referee - the most argument seemed to be over my lenient interpretation of handballs. The players generally just got on with it, and I tried to keep play flowing where I could. Altogether, an enjoyable morning's work. The right team won as well I think - the first years played some excellent passing football (although I won't deny the contribution the second year's made to the game).