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 33rd 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 45th 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 73rd 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!
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