I haven't written about events in high-profile football matches for a while. Even Howard Webb's penalty shocker at Old Trafford didn't cause me to pick up my pen, but this week's Champions League semi-final second legs have.
For the record, I think the refereeing in the Champions League knockout stages has been very good so far. We have seen several big games go by with the referees barely noticed. Last week, in the first legs of the semi-finals, I thought both officials did well. At the Nou Camp, Wolfgang Stark tried (amidst the pettiness and stupidity of a Barca vs Chelsea game) to give the game some flow. Credit to him, he could have ended up racking up a load of bookings and giving countless free kicks, but he refereed with common sense. Claus Bo Larsen at Old Trafford last Wednesday had a far easier task, but blended beautifully into the background and had a superb game (not for the first time this year - he did the same in the first leg of Liverpool v Chelsea). So, all good. Until this week.
Both of the appointed referees this week are referees that I like and rate. Italian Roberto Rosetti usually performs with common sense, something for which some Italian referees are not known. He isn't usually fussy, and the Euro 2008 final is evidence that he is trusted with big games. He did the second leg semi of Chelsea vs Liverpool last year, and was excellent. I've also been a fan of Norway's Tom Henning Øvrebø for some time. He just does the job - no histronics - and was dreadfully unlucky to be sent home early from Euro 2008, with the mediocre Herbert Fandel staying on ahead of him.
To the Emirates on Tuesday then. The game itself wasn't a great spectacle - Manchester United saw to that in the first 11 minutes (credit to them - they outplayed Arsenal completely). Rosetti didn't exactly help the spectacle either though - he was unusually fussy, giving a multitude of soft decisions, most of which seemed to favour Manchester United. His foul recognition was poor all night. Thankfully, these were mostly minor decisions. For 75 minutes. Then the one big decision goes against Manchester United, and its a wrong one. Darren Fletcher's tackle was perfectly executed. To bring in the referee's viewpoint (and some referees will support the decision of a foul here, even if I don't) - the referee can only consider that a foul if he considers the challenge to be made in a 'careless' manner. Any tackle that is consider careless, reckless or dangerous is penalised, no matter if the ball is won. To add to that definition, from the Laws:
"Careless” means that the player has shown a lack of attention or consideration when making a challenge or that he acted without precaution.
Do I think Fletcher was careless? I think he could hardly have done any more to take care. He can't really have taken any more precaution or shown any more consideration for his opponent. He won the ball fair and square, and the fact that his trailing leg brought the player down is irrelevant - the sort of contact that happens all the time in football. A poor decision from a top referee. Incidentally, the red card which follows the foul is academic - it is only the foul itself I have a problem with. The fact that the decision can't be overturned is ludicrous, and a point to which I shall return shortly. Overall, a poor night for Rosetti, both in general play and on the big decision.
To Stamford Bridge. Rosetti had a poor night on Tuesday. Øvrebø, of whom I am also a fan, was worse on Wednesday. He was nothing short of utterly dreadful. Now, this wasn't an easy game to referee, and the players didn't help him one iota, but he was hopeless. Lets go through this extraordinary encounter blow by blow.
The four Chelsea penalty appeals first of all. The first - on Malouda - I believe he has given the foul for the challenge which was actually made in the area. He could clearly see this, so why he hasn't pointed to the spot I don't know. The foul outside the area was minor. He was perfectly positioned. Dreadful decision. Abidal on Drogba - thats also a penalty for me, and probably a red card to follow. The Pique handball - I'll offer a little leeway on this, as the ball was hit straight at him, although the position of his arm makes it hard to ignore. The one at the end which Ballack was so furious about - never in a million years. So of the four - two definites, one maybe, one never. In my opinion of course.
The red card. Once again, the sending off is correct but the foul which leads to it is not. Its not a foul, and was symptomatic of Øvrebø's poor foul detection all night. He never got to grips with what was and wasn't a genuine offence, with players dropping to the turf likes flies. Anelka clipped his own heels. Like I said, I do think the position rightly leads to a sending off, but the foul decision is a poor one.
So a dreadful game all round from Øvrebø, by far the worst showing I have ever seen from him, and the worst showing in a Champions League match in some time. But unfortunately the teams come out of it with little credit either. I thought Barcelona were whingers. They surrounded the referee frequently, whenever a decision went against them. They played their part in turning the game into the petty squabble that it was. Poor from them. But Chelsea come out of it with less credit. Ballack should have been sent off for chasing and man-handling the referee after that last penalty appeal. Øvrebø should have stopped play and sent him down the tunnel - what he did was totally unacceptable. As for Drogba, the man was out of control. The yellow card at the end was a kind of token gesture. UEFA will deal with his actions, and rightly so, because no matter how bad Øvrebø was, that is no way to behave, especially in the public eye. The example that it sets is terrible. Players can get frustrated, but to that extent it is quite simply ridiculous. Chelsea, yet again, have major issues with controlling their players and respecting officials. It can't go on.
The one man who I can find some time for in all this is Guus Hiddink. He comes across to me as a very decent person. He will struggle not to criticise the referee, but the way in which he does so will I'm sure be done in his calm, assured manner. Imagine the chaos if Mourinho had been Chelsea manager during this game! Unthinkable. Hiddink kept his calm at the end when everything else was going off around him, and he strikes me as someone who just gets on with his own game and doesn't indulge in petty squabbles or personal criticism, towards both referees and opponents. The Premier League needs more managers like him, and its a shame he isn't staying on at Chelsea next year.
I referred earlier to the injustice of the lack of appeal on decisions. We have seen this amply demonstrated in the cases of both Fletcher and Abidal, both of whom will now miss the final. It is frankly ludicrous that they will do so on the basis of such obvious errors, and I feel sorry for both of them. I don't believe the appeals system in this country does its job properly, but at least it has a chance of overturning some wrong decisions. UEFA need to look at this, as players should not be missing these big occasions on account of wrong decisions.
There are so many emotions mixed in with all of this. The media will have their circus, and the two referees will be villified in the papers. The pressure is on whoever does the final now, given what has gone before. To this point, we have had strong performances throughout the knockout stages, but Rosetti and Øvrebø were dreadful. Was it wrong to appoint them? Not at all - they're both perfectly capable referees - they just had bad games. Hopefully, they'll recover, although they'll always be tarnished by the memory of these games.
But finally, to bring just the slightest note of positivity amidst all this criticism, just maybe tonight reminded me why I love football. No matter what you're expecting, football just throws something completely different at you. You think you've seen everything, and then along comes a game like tonight's. It has been an extraordinary evening - one that will live long in the memory for all the wrong reasons - and the repurcussions will last for some days. But its part of what makes the game so interesting and so fascinating, and that's just why we love it, and is why I'll be out refereeing again on Friday.
Thursday, 7 May 2009
Wednesday, 6 May 2009
Match 13 - Notts Uni XI vs IMS All-stars
For the second year running I was invited to take charge of this encounter, which pits a selection of players from the university teams against a selection of players from the intra-mural leagues. Last year, the game was a very relaxed affair, with the university team running out 7-1 winners.
This year's game seemed far more serious. Mike Round, the IMS football officer, had amassed a large squad of players from many of the IMS teams. I recognised several players from the Cripps, Newark, Nightingale and Broadgate Park freshers teams. They had something like 20-25 players, so finding people to run the line from them would prove no problem! I've no idea how many of the Uni team players were first-teamers, although I did recognise Mike Morenas, an ex-Nightingaler.
The IMS All-Stars started well. They competed for everything, and it was immediately obvious that it wouldn't be the walkover it was last year. In fact, it was IMS who took the lead in the 20th minute, and doubled it two minutes later as a free kick was cleared out to a player on the far side, who finished it very nicely. By the half-hour, it was 3-0! This was a real surprise, as I too had expected the Uni team to run out comfortable winners again. The IMS players had gelled really well and were working hard, even if some of the defending from the Uni team left a lot to be desired. However, by half-time the lead had been reduced to 3-2, with goals in the 35th and 41st minutes, the second shortly after we had had a break following a clash of heads - I don't think the IMS players had woken up after the stoppage! I didn't have a lot to do - perhaps I called a couple of things wrongly, but no major issues in the first half.
Mike decided that the only way to give everyone a game for IMS was to send out a completely different eleven for the second half. Whether they didn't perform quite as well or whether the Uni team improved dramatically I don't know, but it was 3-3 within 5 minutes. The Uni team had found their rhythm, and I have to admit it was a joy to watch. They weren't hoofing it up in the air - they were passing it along the ground, looking for space, constructing some nice moves, perhaps the 'beautiful game' at its best. Thats not to say the IMS players didn't contribute - they also gave a good account of themselves in a half of football which flowed from end-to-end virtually without stoppages. In terms of quality, it was one of the best I have refereed. I gave about half a dozen free kicks, but also tried to make my contribution to allowing a flowing game, and I could sit back and let the players do the talking. It was a great half of football to referee. The Uni team took the lead for the first time in the 63rd minute, and added their fifth in the 80th minute. There were hopes of an IMS comeback as they pulled one back to make it 5-4 with two minutes to go, but the two-goal advantage was restored shortly afterwards, and thats how things finished. The only incident of note as far as I was concerned was when a Uni player hit a shot, which the keeper tipped onto the crossbar and which then bounced down. The linesman wasn't in line to make any judgement, and I had no idea whether it had crossed the line, so I could only wave play on. We had had virtually no stoppages in the whole half, so I played just a minute of added time and then brought a most entertaining game of football to an end.
The game was one of the most straightforward I have refereed in my time at Nottingham. The players must take some credit for just getting on with the game - there were no arguments, no backchat and no confrontations. I would also like my share of the credit too(!) - for giving the game every opportunity to flow. The football was excellent, in particular in the second half, where I thought I got everything just about spot on. I whistled the clear fouls, and let everything else go. The assistants also contributed and helped me, with their interventions being just when necessary. While I suppose some might consider the game boring to referee because there is virtually nothing to do, I personally think that the referee should enjoy these kinds of games - I love football, and to see a good quality, flowing game is great. It balances out all the more difficult games anyhow! I'll be back in action again on Friday, and will return with another report then.
This year's game seemed far more serious. Mike Round, the IMS football officer, had amassed a large squad of players from many of the IMS teams. I recognised several players from the Cripps, Newark, Nightingale and Broadgate Park freshers teams. They had something like 20-25 players, so finding people to run the line from them would prove no problem! I've no idea how many of the Uni team players were first-teamers, although I did recognise Mike Morenas, an ex-Nightingaler.
The IMS All-Stars started well. They competed for everything, and it was immediately obvious that it wouldn't be the walkover it was last year. In fact, it was IMS who took the lead in the 20th minute, and doubled it two minutes later as a free kick was cleared out to a player on the far side, who finished it very nicely. By the half-hour, it was 3-0! This was a real surprise, as I too had expected the Uni team to run out comfortable winners again. The IMS players had gelled really well and were working hard, even if some of the defending from the Uni team left a lot to be desired. However, by half-time the lead had been reduced to 3-2, with goals in the 35th and 41st minutes, the second shortly after we had had a break following a clash of heads - I don't think the IMS players had woken up after the stoppage! I didn't have a lot to do - perhaps I called a couple of things wrongly, but no major issues in the first half.
Mike decided that the only way to give everyone a game for IMS was to send out a completely different eleven for the second half. Whether they didn't perform quite as well or whether the Uni team improved dramatically I don't know, but it was 3-3 within 5 minutes. The Uni team had found their rhythm, and I have to admit it was a joy to watch. They weren't hoofing it up in the air - they were passing it along the ground, looking for space, constructing some nice moves, perhaps the 'beautiful game' at its best. Thats not to say the IMS players didn't contribute - they also gave a good account of themselves in a half of football which flowed from end-to-end virtually without stoppages. In terms of quality, it was one of the best I have refereed. I gave about half a dozen free kicks, but also tried to make my contribution to allowing a flowing game, and I could sit back and let the players do the talking. It was a great half of football to referee. The Uni team took the lead for the first time in the 63rd minute, and added their fifth in the 80th minute. There were hopes of an IMS comeback as they pulled one back to make it 5-4 with two minutes to go, but the two-goal advantage was restored shortly afterwards, and thats how things finished. The only incident of note as far as I was concerned was when a Uni player hit a shot, which the keeper tipped onto the crossbar and which then bounced down. The linesman wasn't in line to make any judgement, and I had no idea whether it had crossed the line, so I could only wave play on. We had had virtually no stoppages in the whole half, so I played just a minute of added time and then brought a most entertaining game of football to an end.
The game was one of the most straightforward I have refereed in my time at Nottingham. The players must take some credit for just getting on with the game - there were no arguments, no backchat and no confrontations. I would also like my share of the credit too(!) - for giving the game every opportunity to flow. The football was excellent, in particular in the second half, where I thought I got everything just about spot on. I whistled the clear fouls, and let everything else go. The assistants also contributed and helped me, with their interventions being just when necessary. While I suppose some might consider the game boring to referee because there is virtually nothing to do, I personally think that the referee should enjoy these kinds of games - I love football, and to see a good quality, flowing game is great. It balances out all the more difficult games anyhow! I'll be back in action again on Friday, and will return with another report then.
Thursday, 30 April 2009
Match 12 - Cripps First and Second Years
This week has seen me involved in two games between a freshers' and second years' team. On Sunday, I assisted Luke as Nightingale's second years beat their freshers team 3-2. Today roles were reversed as I refereed the corresponding game between the Cripps teams.
We were on the astro pitch, in weather conditions which weren't exactly ideal. It was warm and sunny - but too warm really. I predicted some exhaustion to follow. As we only had the pitch for a limited time (although as it was no-one turned up at the end) we were limited to two 40-minute halves.
The opening period of the game had a nice flow to it, although it lacked clearcut chances. It was frenetic, but unproductive. I recall only one intervention from me in the early stages, and indeed I was merely a passenger for most of the first half, with minimal interventions - which suited me just fine. The second years took the lead in the 25th minute. It was a rather scrappy goal, coming from a corner, from which defender and goalkeeper collided, leaving the rather surprised forward with the simple task of slotting the ball home. The freshers complained that the ball was rolling as the corner was taken, which it probably was, but it was difficult to keep it still on the sloping pitch and I had let this go on several other occasions. They were merely finding something to moan about. In any case, they equalised in the 31st minute after a splendid breakaway goal and a neat exchange of passes. Half-time arrived, with the score at 1-1 and the teams evenly matched.
The second years started the second half poorly and were behind within two minutes. It was again from a corner, although this time it was perhaps the marking at fault, although the delivery and header were both excellent. The freshers held a 2-1 lead. The second years took a while to respond, but gradually improved as the half wore on. I had kept in the background until the second years had a penalty appeal. Their forward was attacking on the left hand side and got the ball off the defender - I considered giving a foul but let it pass. As he headed into the area, there was some shirt-pulling going on, but I thought both parties were engaging in a bit (even if the defender was more at fault) and that it wasn't enough for me to give a penalty. I was surprised to find his shirt had ripped. I didn't think there had been that much in the incident at all. I went with my gut reaction at the time, and I'm still slightly mystified as to how quite so much damage was done.
Throughout the second half, players were falling down at regular intervals with cramp, and there had been plenty of substitutions. With no-one coming to use the pitch, I elected to play five minutes of stoppage time, which was obviously better received by one team than the other! About a minute in, I stopped play for an offside against the freshers (in fact they kept the ball and I could have played on, but never mind), and some time after the whistle had blown one of the freshers kicked the ball over the fence out of the court. Given the time that had elapsed since the whistle, I booked him for delaying the restart. It took the best part of two minutes for the ball to be fetched, but when we restarted there were still four minutes to play.
Yet it wasn't over. The second years got the equaliser they so desperately wanted, and it came from an unlikely source - a beautiful header by a fresher. Own goals are always painful, but as an equaliser in the depths of injury time they are even more so. Plenty of opportunities for some banter there! Soon after, I blew the final whistle, sparking a huge debate as to whether we should play extra-time or go straight to penalties. I thought that the teams should decide - I'm not a dictator on such matters! Eventually, we settled on two 10-minute halves of extra time.
The second half had to be cancelled when another group turned up to take over the court. The first half was notable for only two reasons from my point of view - a claim that I should book a second year after he had had the ball kicked at him whilst retreating from a free kick. I merely ordered a retake - I don't want players getting others booked purposely. The other was when a fresher thought he had been fouled and immediately chopped down an opponent - a senseless thing to do as the decision was my fault, not his opponent's! Perhaps I should have booked him for his stupidity.
As the second half was cancelled, we then went straight to penalties, still having one half of the pitch free to ourselves. The penalty shootout was close - both teams missed their first penalty (including a spectacular blaze over from Caesari), with both then scoring each of their next three. 3-3, with one take each before sudden death. As the second year tucked his away confidently, the fresher came up and I reminded him he needed to score, to which I got a sarcastic response! He couldn't though. Neither keeper actually made a save - the three takers who failed to score all missed the target. To clarify, the second years then who triumphed 4-3 on penalties.
Altogether, it was an entertaining match which had a nice flow to it. I felt I did my job - there may be arguments about the penalty I didn't give but my instincts at the time told me not to. I can't change it now, and I'm not unhappy with the decision. I think it is the first time I have booked a player for a technical offence, but it was certainly a deserved one! Overall, I enjoyed the game and hope that the players did too!
We were on the astro pitch, in weather conditions which weren't exactly ideal. It was warm and sunny - but too warm really. I predicted some exhaustion to follow. As we only had the pitch for a limited time (although as it was no-one turned up at the end) we were limited to two 40-minute halves.
The opening period of the game had a nice flow to it, although it lacked clearcut chances. It was frenetic, but unproductive. I recall only one intervention from me in the early stages, and indeed I was merely a passenger for most of the first half, with minimal interventions - which suited me just fine. The second years took the lead in the 25th minute. It was a rather scrappy goal, coming from a corner, from which defender and goalkeeper collided, leaving the rather surprised forward with the simple task of slotting the ball home. The freshers complained that the ball was rolling as the corner was taken, which it probably was, but it was difficult to keep it still on the sloping pitch and I had let this go on several other occasions. They were merely finding something to moan about. In any case, they equalised in the 31st minute after a splendid breakaway goal and a neat exchange of passes. Half-time arrived, with the score at 1-1 and the teams evenly matched.
The second years started the second half poorly and were behind within two minutes. It was again from a corner, although this time it was perhaps the marking at fault, although the delivery and header were both excellent. The freshers held a 2-1 lead. The second years took a while to respond, but gradually improved as the half wore on. I had kept in the background until the second years had a penalty appeal. Their forward was attacking on the left hand side and got the ball off the defender - I considered giving a foul but let it pass. As he headed into the area, there was some shirt-pulling going on, but I thought both parties were engaging in a bit (even if the defender was more at fault) and that it wasn't enough for me to give a penalty. I was surprised to find his shirt had ripped. I didn't think there had been that much in the incident at all. I went with my gut reaction at the time, and I'm still slightly mystified as to how quite so much damage was done.
Throughout the second half, players were falling down at regular intervals with cramp, and there had been plenty of substitutions. With no-one coming to use the pitch, I elected to play five minutes of stoppage time, which was obviously better received by one team than the other! About a minute in, I stopped play for an offside against the freshers (in fact they kept the ball and I could have played on, but never mind), and some time after the whistle had blown one of the freshers kicked the ball over the fence out of the court. Given the time that had elapsed since the whistle, I booked him for delaying the restart. It took the best part of two minutes for the ball to be fetched, but when we restarted there were still four minutes to play.
Yet it wasn't over. The second years got the equaliser they so desperately wanted, and it came from an unlikely source - a beautiful header by a fresher. Own goals are always painful, but as an equaliser in the depths of injury time they are even more so. Plenty of opportunities for some banter there! Soon after, I blew the final whistle, sparking a huge debate as to whether we should play extra-time or go straight to penalties. I thought that the teams should decide - I'm not a dictator on such matters! Eventually, we settled on two 10-minute halves of extra time.
The second half had to be cancelled when another group turned up to take over the court. The first half was notable for only two reasons from my point of view - a claim that I should book a second year after he had had the ball kicked at him whilst retreating from a free kick. I merely ordered a retake - I don't want players getting others booked purposely. The other was when a fresher thought he had been fouled and immediately chopped down an opponent - a senseless thing to do as the decision was my fault, not his opponent's! Perhaps I should have booked him for his stupidity.
As the second half was cancelled, we then went straight to penalties, still having one half of the pitch free to ourselves. The penalty shootout was close - both teams missed their first penalty (including a spectacular blaze over from Caesari), with both then scoring each of their next three. 3-3, with one take each before sudden death. As the second year tucked his away confidently, the fresher came up and I reminded him he needed to score, to which I got a sarcastic response! He couldn't though. Neither keeper actually made a save - the three takers who failed to score all missed the target. To clarify, the second years then who triumphed 4-3 on penalties.
Altogether, it was an entertaining match which had a nice flow to it. I felt I did my job - there may be arguments about the penalty I didn't give but my instincts at the time told me not to. I can't change it now, and I'm not unhappy with the decision. I think it is the first time I have booked a player for a technical offence, but it was certainly a deserved one! Overall, I enjoyed the game and hope that the players did too!
Wednesday, 18 March 2009
Match 11 - Raleigh Park vs Faraday (Loughborough)
Today, it was another of those days which you look out for in the intra-mural calendar - the IMS Varsity. Once again, Loughborough's finest intra-mural teams played Nottingham's, and this year it was Nottingham's turn to host it. Nottingham don't have a very good record in these encounters - I refereed two years ago when both Nottingham teams lost on their home ground, and last year I went down to Loughborough to run the line for both games, and again Loughborough completed a clean sweep in the football. This year, it was Cripps Old Boys and Raleigh Park freshers who were Nottingham's representatives. The Cripps game was refereed by the SU's Education Officer, Craig Cox, who is a Level 4 referee, leaving me to do Raleigh Park's encounter against Faraday from Loughborough.
The first half was far from my greatest half of football. Raleigh took an early lead 3 minutes in, but the game was quite physical and I sensed I wasn't totally on top of it. As always, I wanted to try and give the game some flow, but the tackles were coming in rather at times and I probably wasn't judging them correctly. That said, it never looked like spiralling out of control, so I did enough. The first half was a half of few chances too; neither team could really create many clearcut opportunities. I was perhaps penalising some soft fouls while missing some more obvious ones, but I was relieved to get through to half-time with no cards and no major hassle.
In the second half, things seemed to settle down rather more. Immediately, I got into my rhythm and the players seemed far more accepting of what I was giving. In the 54th minute, I gave one of the easiest penalty decisions I'll ever have to give - I was looking straight at play as a Raleigh defender inexplicably stuck up his hand and palmed the ball away. Why he did it I don't know, but the appeal was loud and I instantly pointed to the spot. With the penalty being scored (just!) Faraday were back on level terms.
They then proceeded to dominate most of the rest of the half, and once again Loughborough's sporting prowess showed through. They had much the better of play, with some very good chances, notably at set pieces. I turned down a penalty appeal soon after as the ball was crossed in and two players collided - I couldn't really see who instigated the contact so it was best just to let play go on. However, they added further goals in the 72nd and 77th minutes, and I think Raleigh had rather run out of steam by then. Raleigh contended that I was giving Faraday all the decisions - I was simply calling it as I saw it. The decisions were mostly only corners and throw-ins anyway, so nothing major, and the only real big decision I gave was the penalty, which was clear as day. The contest was all but over, and Faraday won 3-1.
Overall, not my greatest game ever, particularly in the first half, but I got through it and got the big decisions right. Once again, Loughborough completed a clean sweep in the football as Cripps Old Boys also lost out, this time 3-0. It is always a tough ask for the Nottingham teams, and I thought Raleigh equitted themselves pretty well, but in the end Loughborough had the class to overcome them. Thats the end of football for the term now - whether there will be any other games left for me to handle after Easter remains to be seen.
The first half was far from my greatest half of football. Raleigh took an early lead 3 minutes in, but the game was quite physical and I sensed I wasn't totally on top of it. As always, I wanted to try and give the game some flow, but the tackles were coming in rather at times and I probably wasn't judging them correctly. That said, it never looked like spiralling out of control, so I did enough. The first half was a half of few chances too; neither team could really create many clearcut opportunities. I was perhaps penalising some soft fouls while missing some more obvious ones, but I was relieved to get through to half-time with no cards and no major hassle.
In the second half, things seemed to settle down rather more. Immediately, I got into my rhythm and the players seemed far more accepting of what I was giving. In the 54th minute, I gave one of the easiest penalty decisions I'll ever have to give - I was looking straight at play as a Raleigh defender inexplicably stuck up his hand and palmed the ball away. Why he did it I don't know, but the appeal was loud and I instantly pointed to the spot. With the penalty being scored (just!) Faraday were back on level terms.
They then proceeded to dominate most of the rest of the half, and once again Loughborough's sporting prowess showed through. They had much the better of play, with some very good chances, notably at set pieces. I turned down a penalty appeal soon after as the ball was crossed in and two players collided - I couldn't really see who instigated the contact so it was best just to let play go on. However, they added further goals in the 72nd and 77th minutes, and I think Raleigh had rather run out of steam by then. Raleigh contended that I was giving Faraday all the decisions - I was simply calling it as I saw it. The decisions were mostly only corners and throw-ins anyway, so nothing major, and the only real big decision I gave was the penalty, which was clear as day. The contest was all but over, and Faraday won 3-1.
Overall, not my greatest game ever, particularly in the first half, but I got through it and got the big decisions right. Once again, Loughborough completed a clean sweep in the football as Cripps Old Boys also lost out, this time 3-0. It is always a tough ask for the Nottingham teams, and I thought Raleigh equitted themselves pretty well, but in the end Loughborough had the class to overcome them. Thats the end of football for the term now - whether there will be any other games left for me to handle after Easter remains to be seen.
Wednesday, 11 March 2009
Match 10 - The IMS Cup Final
IMS Finals day is always a day I look out for in the intra-mural football calendar. Two years ago, we had an absolute goal fest in both the Cup and Plate finals - you can read about this in Tale No. 32 on Facebook (and I'm now on No. 161!). That day Broadgate Park beat Cripps 4-2 in the Plate Final, which I refereed, while Doug handled an even more dramatic Cup final, in which Sherwood beat Derby 7-3. Last year, it was completely different - I once again refereed the Plate Final, which saw Sherwood beat Raleigh Park in one of the worst games in my time at Nottingham (see Tale No. 94 for that). With the Cup final also finishing 1-0, it wasn't a great day of football!
So, what would this year bring? At the third time of asking, I got the opportunity to referee the Cup final between Broadgate Park and Newark, while Luke did the Plate final between Southwell and Lenton & Wortley. Which way would today's games go - to the drama of two years ago or the mundane affairs of last year?
We started late, and it was my fault - I forgot my boots! Realising with 15 minutes to spare, I rushed home to get them, with the result that both games started some 10 minutes late. There was a healthy crowd on the sidelines, with both teams having a good number of supporters for the big occasion. I must admit I quite enjoy the theatre of all the shouts and screams at me - it doesn't make a blind bit of difference to what I give! Anyway, we got underway, and it was soon obvious that the two teams were fairly evenly matched. I started off well enough - there was some argument over a few challenges which I was letting go but I was trying to give the game some flow. In many ways, the first half was the hardest part of the game in that respect, and by the time we reached half-time the players had worked out my tolerance level and adjusted appropriately. Both teams had opportunities, but it was Newark who took the lead thanks to a 25th minute own goal. In fact, Broadgate were trying to commit defensive suicide at times. I had tried to play advantage where I could, and although there had been some late tackles I was trying to give warnings rather than showing cards. At the same time, I was making myself hoarse with all the shouting I was doing! Half-time arrived, with the score still 1-0.
The first half had provided little clue of what a rollercoaster ride lay ahead of us in the second half. Broadgate were out of the traps quickest, although there was a bit of good fortune about their equaliser, as a free kick sailed straight through everyone into the net. Within a minute, it was 2-1, as Newark committed defensive suicide as well, and the Broadgate forward nipped in to score. Newark were shell-shocked, and Broadgate then went on to add two more goals in the 63rd and 67th minutes, giving them a 4-1 lead. The game looked all but over.
But you just never know sometimes! Within 5 minutes Newark had pulled it back to 4-3. Set pieces were proving very effective for them, and this was the case on one of the two they scored. Game back on, and there were still 18 minutes to go! My involvement in the closing stages was limited - the players were busy getting on with playing football for the most part. There were the usual controversies on offsides, but I felt I was getting most things right. Newark plugged away (although Broadgate also kept attacking) - this part of the game itself passed me by as I was concentrating completely on what I was giving. There had been several substitutions and a couple of injuries, and Broadgate were starting to time waste on goal kicks, so I knew I would have to add on 4 or 5 minutes.
Newark were getting desperate by now, but sometimes the scrappiest of goals can decide things. In the 5th minute of added time, a corner was floated in and they bundled it home to equalise and make it 4-4 - at the death! I watched carefully for any infringements but there was nothing wrong. There was a mass pitch invasion - it was like they had won the Cup! I didn't finish the game there and then because I didn't want it to seem like I had just waited for Newark to score - but a minute or so later I did blow for full time on an extraordinary second half. Lying ahead of us was extra time!
Luke came over at that point as the Plate final had finished - with Southwell the victors by 3 goals to 2. Luke had disallowed 2 Lenton & Wortley goals, so probably wasn't flavour of the month with them!
I got extra time underway, and the collections of supporters on the side remained to cheer on their sides. Having some kind of atmosphere at the game made it more enjoyable for me. Extra time was scrappy - at least the first half was anyway. Neither team could really take control of the game and little had changed by the time we switched round after 15 minutes. The second half though was more interesting. Both teams did try to go for it, with attacks at both ends, and it wasn't totally defensive. Meanwhile, there had been a succession of late tackles through the game which I had been letting go, but the worst came in the 112th minute as a Newark player caught a Broadgate player with a high and late challenge. It wasn't far off being a red card, but I settled with yellow (to ironic cheers from the sidelines). There could have been an advantage for Broadgate, but I took the safe option of blowing straight away. Five minutes later, a second Newark player joined him in the book after bringing down a Broadgate attacker on the wing with a tired challenge - he held his hands up in acceptance of the decision. Newark also had a couple of penalty appeals - the first I waved away swiftly; the second was more vociferous, but their player had been challenged and had then slowly brought himself to the ground. It was nowhere near convincing me, and may not even have been a foul - the defender might have got some of the ball. However, there could still have been a dramatic late twist - in the final minutes of added time Newark had a great chance to win the game as the ball was crossed in and neither of two players could get a header on target. A short while later, I blew for time on what had been an epic 120 minutes.
Luke commented that the pressure was now off me and firmly on the players as we headed for penalties. He stood on the goalline to check that the goalkeepers stayed on their lines. In keeping with the rest of the game, the shootout proved to be suitably dramatic! Newark missed their second attempt, but the next Broadgate kick was also missed, before the scores were levelled at 2-2. With Broadgate then scoring, Newark missed their next one, giving Broadgate an opportunity to win the game - which they couldn't take. With Newark then scoring, it was 3-3, and sudden death! The first two kicks (one each) were both scored, but Broadgate then missed. It was now Newark's opportunity to win it, but their captain couldn't take it, so the scores remained 4-4. When the next Broadgate kick was skied, Newark again had an opportunity to win, and this time their taker made no mistake, giving them a dramatic 5-4 penalties win. Both keepers had made some good saves in the shootout, so as always I felt sorry for the losing goalkeeper - he couldn't have done much more. Newark's win completed a double for the two Jubilee campus halls - with Southwell having won the Plate.
How do I sum that up then? Well, it has to be up there as one of the best games I have refereed in my time in Nottingham. It was unpredictable, between two closely matched teams, with a real sense of occasion created by the crowd on the touchline. It hadn't been totally straightforward to referee, although by half time I sensed I had done the work necessary to get the players on my side and it became somewhat easier. Certainly, it never felt out of control. Tackles did fly in, although as is often the case the two yellow cards came late on in the game. I didn't get everything right - and indeed I ignored plenty which I could have penalised. However, I did this both ways, and tried to ensure that we got a game, not a stop-start whistle-fest. My decisions didn't have an undue bearing on the result, and the game won't be remembered because of my contribution to it. In fact, I will look back upon it as a game which I enjoyed hugely and from which I can be hugely satisfied with my performance.
Indeed, it was another of those games which explains why I referee. I have just controlled probably the most important match in the IMS calendar, and helped to make it an entertaining game. If you want to get involved in football, then why not referee? The sense of satisfaction you get from controlling 22 players with only a whistle, two bits of plastic and your own character is great. It won't always be easy, it won't always go well, and you won't always enjoy it - but for me the good experiences far outweigh the bad ones and make it one of the most worthwhile things I have done in my time in Nottingham. Bring on the next game!
So, what would this year bring? At the third time of asking, I got the opportunity to referee the Cup final between Broadgate Park and Newark, while Luke did the Plate final between Southwell and Lenton & Wortley. Which way would today's games go - to the drama of two years ago or the mundane affairs of last year?
We started late, and it was my fault - I forgot my boots! Realising with 15 minutes to spare, I rushed home to get them, with the result that both games started some 10 minutes late. There was a healthy crowd on the sidelines, with both teams having a good number of supporters for the big occasion. I must admit I quite enjoy the theatre of all the shouts and screams at me - it doesn't make a blind bit of difference to what I give! Anyway, we got underway, and it was soon obvious that the two teams were fairly evenly matched. I started off well enough - there was some argument over a few challenges which I was letting go but I was trying to give the game some flow. In many ways, the first half was the hardest part of the game in that respect, and by the time we reached half-time the players had worked out my tolerance level and adjusted appropriately. Both teams had opportunities, but it was Newark who took the lead thanks to a 25th minute own goal. In fact, Broadgate were trying to commit defensive suicide at times. I had tried to play advantage where I could, and although there had been some late tackles I was trying to give warnings rather than showing cards. At the same time, I was making myself hoarse with all the shouting I was doing! Half-time arrived, with the score still 1-0.
The first half had provided little clue of what a rollercoaster ride lay ahead of us in the second half. Broadgate were out of the traps quickest, although there was a bit of good fortune about their equaliser, as a free kick sailed straight through everyone into the net. Within a minute, it was 2-1, as Newark committed defensive suicide as well, and the Broadgate forward nipped in to score. Newark were shell-shocked, and Broadgate then went on to add two more goals in the 63rd and 67th minutes, giving them a 4-1 lead. The game looked all but over.
But you just never know sometimes! Within 5 minutes Newark had pulled it back to 4-3. Set pieces were proving very effective for them, and this was the case on one of the two they scored. Game back on, and there were still 18 minutes to go! My involvement in the closing stages was limited - the players were busy getting on with playing football for the most part. There were the usual controversies on offsides, but I felt I was getting most things right. Newark plugged away (although Broadgate also kept attacking) - this part of the game itself passed me by as I was concentrating completely on what I was giving. There had been several substitutions and a couple of injuries, and Broadgate were starting to time waste on goal kicks, so I knew I would have to add on 4 or 5 minutes.
Newark were getting desperate by now, but sometimes the scrappiest of goals can decide things. In the 5th minute of added time, a corner was floated in and they bundled it home to equalise and make it 4-4 - at the death! I watched carefully for any infringements but there was nothing wrong. There was a mass pitch invasion - it was like they had won the Cup! I didn't finish the game there and then because I didn't want it to seem like I had just waited for Newark to score - but a minute or so later I did blow for full time on an extraordinary second half. Lying ahead of us was extra time!
Luke came over at that point as the Plate final had finished - with Southwell the victors by 3 goals to 2. Luke had disallowed 2 Lenton & Wortley goals, so probably wasn't flavour of the month with them!
I got extra time underway, and the collections of supporters on the side remained to cheer on their sides. Having some kind of atmosphere at the game made it more enjoyable for me. Extra time was scrappy - at least the first half was anyway. Neither team could really take control of the game and little had changed by the time we switched round after 15 minutes. The second half though was more interesting. Both teams did try to go for it, with attacks at both ends, and it wasn't totally defensive. Meanwhile, there had been a succession of late tackles through the game which I had been letting go, but the worst came in the 112th minute as a Newark player caught a Broadgate player with a high and late challenge. It wasn't far off being a red card, but I settled with yellow (to ironic cheers from the sidelines). There could have been an advantage for Broadgate, but I took the safe option of blowing straight away. Five minutes later, a second Newark player joined him in the book after bringing down a Broadgate attacker on the wing with a tired challenge - he held his hands up in acceptance of the decision. Newark also had a couple of penalty appeals - the first I waved away swiftly; the second was more vociferous, but their player had been challenged and had then slowly brought himself to the ground. It was nowhere near convincing me, and may not even have been a foul - the defender might have got some of the ball. However, there could still have been a dramatic late twist - in the final minutes of added time Newark had a great chance to win the game as the ball was crossed in and neither of two players could get a header on target. A short while later, I blew for time on what had been an epic 120 minutes.
Luke commented that the pressure was now off me and firmly on the players as we headed for penalties. He stood on the goalline to check that the goalkeepers stayed on their lines. In keeping with the rest of the game, the shootout proved to be suitably dramatic! Newark missed their second attempt, but the next Broadgate kick was also missed, before the scores were levelled at 2-2. With Broadgate then scoring, Newark missed their next one, giving Broadgate an opportunity to win the game - which they couldn't take. With Newark then scoring, it was 3-3, and sudden death! The first two kicks (one each) were both scored, but Broadgate then missed. It was now Newark's opportunity to win it, but their captain couldn't take it, so the scores remained 4-4. When the next Broadgate kick was skied, Newark again had an opportunity to win, and this time their taker made no mistake, giving them a dramatic 5-4 penalties win. Both keepers had made some good saves in the shootout, so as always I felt sorry for the losing goalkeeper - he couldn't have done much more. Newark's win completed a double for the two Jubilee campus halls - with Southwell having won the Plate.
How do I sum that up then? Well, it has to be up there as one of the best games I have refereed in my time in Nottingham. It was unpredictable, between two closely matched teams, with a real sense of occasion created by the crowd on the touchline. It hadn't been totally straightforward to referee, although by half time I sensed I had done the work necessary to get the players on my side and it became somewhat easier. Certainly, it never felt out of control. Tackles did fly in, although as is often the case the two yellow cards came late on in the game. I didn't get everything right - and indeed I ignored plenty which I could have penalised. However, I did this both ways, and tried to ensure that we got a game, not a stop-start whistle-fest. My decisions didn't have an undue bearing on the result, and the game won't be remembered because of my contribution to it. In fact, I will look back upon it as a game which I enjoyed hugely and from which I can be hugely satisfied with my performance.
Indeed, it was another of those games which explains why I referee. I have just controlled probably the most important match in the IMS calendar, and helped to make it an entertaining game. If you want to get involved in football, then why not referee? The sense of satisfaction you get from controlling 22 players with only a whistle, two bits of plastic and your own character is great. It won't always be easy, it won't always go well, and you won't always enjoy it - but for me the good experiences far outweigh the bad ones and make it one of the most worthwhile things I have done in my time in Nottingham. Bring on the next game!
Saturday, 7 March 2009
Match 9 - Biz Soc vs Cripps Old Boys
Today I had a top of the table encounter to take charge of. Both Biz Soc and Cripps were unbeaten so far this term, so this was a significant game. Luke assisted me by running one of the lines. The Cripps players arrived late, and so we didn't start until 2.15. Crucially, Cripps won the toss and chose to play with the wind behind them in the first half, a decision which was to prove crucial.
To say Cripps dominated the opening 15 minutes is an understatement! With the wind behind them, they were swarming all over Biz Soc. The Cripps players want name checks for all their goals, but I'll be blown if I can remember who scored them all! They took the lead in the 3rd minute, and doubled it on 6 minutes as I waved down an offside flag from the Biz Soc linesman, who wasn't exactly reliable or impartial in his decision making. In the 15th minute it became three, and again there was a hint of controversy, as the ball struck an arm in the build up. Enzo was jumping for the ball with his arms out, so I ruled it accidental when it hit his elbow and allowed the goal. Again, the linesman's flag was up but I had made my decision and stuck to it. I tried to keep this consistency, and when a similar incident occured with the ball hitting a Biz Soc player's hand, I again let play go on (although this time it was in the centre circle). Luke agreed that it wasn't handball too.
The start of the game was quite tetchy, and soon after the third goal a Biz Soc player took out a Cripps player completely after the ball had gone. The ball fell to a forward so I allowed the advantage, and then decided to have a word with him rather than showing a yellow card. It was perhaps risky to do so, but he caused me no further trouble later in the game, so I was perhaps justified in the end. The tension was palpable and I knew I'd have to keep a fairly close grip on proceedings, but I didn't want to stifle the game completely. Its a delicate balance but the game seemed to settle down as we headed towards half-time, with Cripps adding two further goals, making full use of having the wind behind them. For Biz Soc it was damage limitation, and the half-time score of 5-0 reflected Cripps' dominance.
The big question, of course, was whether Biz Soc could then get back into the game with the wind behind them. They started to have much more of play, but were unable to create any real clearcut chances until it was too late. The second half was a bit easier to referee, although there were still some arguments going on around the pitch, and the players sometimes thought I wasn't giving free kicks where I should have done. I didn't want to make the game too stop-start, and still tried to play advantage where I could. I gather that one Cripps player indulged in a retaliatory kick out after the ball had gone when he had been fouled, but Luke chose not to bring it to my attention - I might have shown a yellow card, although by that stage the game had settled down. The Cripps players were also pretty mouthy, making their feelings known to me, and towards the end I was contemplating showing a yellow card or two for dissent. In the end, at the point where I contemplated showing a card they kept their mouths shut. The Biz Soc linesman didn't help, although they also chose to abuse Luke as well, but I was confident in his decisions.
In terms of the scoring, the second half finished 1-1, with Cripps adding a sixth before Biz Soc finally got one back with six minutes to go. Both teams had chances to add to the scores - Cripps managed to fluff a couple of great opportunities while Biz Soc lacked real threat in front of goal, and couldn't make the most of the chances they had. The scoreline of 6-1 was perhaps a little harsh, although it can't be denied that Cripps were the better team and deserved their win.
I was happy with my performance. The game had been under control but had some flow to it. Once again, I had been communicating with the players throughout the match and during the second half I felt very comfortable with my control. Of course there were decisions I perhaps didn't get right, but for the most part I felt happy with what I had given. The game was more difficult than those I've done in previous weeks, but I still felt I handled the match well. I was surprised I didn't end up showing a yellow card, but with the job done I'm happy that I didn't need to do so in the end.
I'm on a good run of matches at the moment, although with Easter on the horizon I'll soon have a break. Nonetheless, its good that I'm enjoying my refereeing more than ever and think I am performing at my best at the end of my three years here in Nottingham. Lets hope I continue to do so on Wednesday!
To say Cripps dominated the opening 15 minutes is an understatement! With the wind behind them, they were swarming all over Biz Soc. The Cripps players want name checks for all their goals, but I'll be blown if I can remember who scored them all! They took the lead in the 3rd minute, and doubled it on 6 minutes as I waved down an offside flag from the Biz Soc linesman, who wasn't exactly reliable or impartial in his decision making. In the 15th minute it became three, and again there was a hint of controversy, as the ball struck an arm in the build up. Enzo was jumping for the ball with his arms out, so I ruled it accidental when it hit his elbow and allowed the goal. Again, the linesman's flag was up but I had made my decision and stuck to it. I tried to keep this consistency, and when a similar incident occured with the ball hitting a Biz Soc player's hand, I again let play go on (although this time it was in the centre circle). Luke agreed that it wasn't handball too.
The start of the game was quite tetchy, and soon after the third goal a Biz Soc player took out a Cripps player completely after the ball had gone. The ball fell to a forward so I allowed the advantage, and then decided to have a word with him rather than showing a yellow card. It was perhaps risky to do so, but he caused me no further trouble later in the game, so I was perhaps justified in the end. The tension was palpable and I knew I'd have to keep a fairly close grip on proceedings, but I didn't want to stifle the game completely. Its a delicate balance but the game seemed to settle down as we headed towards half-time, with Cripps adding two further goals, making full use of having the wind behind them. For Biz Soc it was damage limitation, and the half-time score of 5-0 reflected Cripps' dominance.
The big question, of course, was whether Biz Soc could then get back into the game with the wind behind them. They started to have much more of play, but were unable to create any real clearcut chances until it was too late. The second half was a bit easier to referee, although there were still some arguments going on around the pitch, and the players sometimes thought I wasn't giving free kicks where I should have done. I didn't want to make the game too stop-start, and still tried to play advantage where I could. I gather that one Cripps player indulged in a retaliatory kick out after the ball had gone when he had been fouled, but Luke chose not to bring it to my attention - I might have shown a yellow card, although by that stage the game had settled down. The Cripps players were also pretty mouthy, making their feelings known to me, and towards the end I was contemplating showing a yellow card or two for dissent. In the end, at the point where I contemplated showing a card they kept their mouths shut. The Biz Soc linesman didn't help, although they also chose to abuse Luke as well, but I was confident in his decisions.
In terms of the scoring, the second half finished 1-1, with Cripps adding a sixth before Biz Soc finally got one back with six minutes to go. Both teams had chances to add to the scores - Cripps managed to fluff a couple of great opportunities while Biz Soc lacked real threat in front of goal, and couldn't make the most of the chances they had. The scoreline of 6-1 was perhaps a little harsh, although it can't be denied that Cripps were the better team and deserved their win.
I was happy with my performance. The game had been under control but had some flow to it. Once again, I had been communicating with the players throughout the match and during the second half I felt very comfortable with my control. Of course there were decisions I perhaps didn't get right, but for the most part I felt happy with what I had given. The game was more difficult than those I've done in previous weeks, but I still felt I handled the match well. I was surprised I didn't end up showing a yellow card, but with the job done I'm happy that I didn't need to do so in the end.
I'm on a good run of matches at the moment, although with Easter on the horizon I'll soon have a break. Nonetheless, its good that I'm enjoying my refereeing more than ever and think I am performing at my best at the end of my three years here in Nottingham. Lets hope I continue to do so on Wednesday!
Wednesday, 4 March 2009
Match 8 - Broadgate Park vs Lenton & Wortley
The Broadgate Park captain invited me to referee their game today, so I was in the unusual situation of heading down to Grove Farm knowing which match I'd be doing! Their opponents were Lenton & Wortley; Luke meanwhile went off to referee Cripps vs Ancaster, which Ancaster went on to win 3-2.
The game was pretty unremarkable to be fair. The first half was scrappy, and devoid of quality and chances - a dogged midfield battle for the most part. I didn't have a lot to do, my only real intervention of note being to penalise the Lenton goalkeeper for handling outside his area in the early stages. He lost control of the ball and grabbed it from over the line - it was a free kick and no more. As Lenton lined up a corner just before half-time, I reflected on how the game needed a goal. It duly got one, as the ball was cleared and then swung back across to be met by a volley at the far post. It was a rare moment of quality two minutes before the break. The score remained 1-0 as I blew for half-time a couple of minutes later.
Broadgate's heads seemed to drop a little, and defence wasn't their strongpoint. About 10 minutes after the restart, the defender left it for the keeper who wasn't near enough to it, and a Lenton forward stole in and slotted it home to make their lead 2-0. Although Broadgate had some pressure throughout the remainder of the second half, including some set pieces, Lenton's defence kept them out and they never really looked like getting back into the game. This was disappointing, as they had played so well in the Cup games at the end of last term, seeing them through to the final which I believe is next week. In the end, Lenton added a third goal in the last 10 minutes to seal a fairly routine and well deserved win.
It wasn't the most testing of games from my perspective, nor the most exciting, and I just tried to do the job as efficiently as I could. I did make a few errors, but there were no real big decisions to make, and the game passed off without any real controversy. I tried to communicate with the players, keep my interventions to a minimum and let them get on with it as usual, and I think I was pretty successful in doing so. I am probably refereeing as well as I have done throughout my time here in Nottingham, and I'm glad I have felt I've been improving over time. As I carry on through to the end of the season, I hope my good run of form can continue!
The game was pretty unremarkable to be fair. The first half was scrappy, and devoid of quality and chances - a dogged midfield battle for the most part. I didn't have a lot to do, my only real intervention of note being to penalise the Lenton goalkeeper for handling outside his area in the early stages. He lost control of the ball and grabbed it from over the line - it was a free kick and no more. As Lenton lined up a corner just before half-time, I reflected on how the game needed a goal. It duly got one, as the ball was cleared and then swung back across to be met by a volley at the far post. It was a rare moment of quality two minutes before the break. The score remained 1-0 as I blew for half-time a couple of minutes later.
Broadgate's heads seemed to drop a little, and defence wasn't their strongpoint. About 10 minutes after the restart, the defender left it for the keeper who wasn't near enough to it, and a Lenton forward stole in and slotted it home to make their lead 2-0. Although Broadgate had some pressure throughout the remainder of the second half, including some set pieces, Lenton's defence kept them out and they never really looked like getting back into the game. This was disappointing, as they had played so well in the Cup games at the end of last term, seeing them through to the final which I believe is next week. In the end, Lenton added a third goal in the last 10 minutes to seal a fairly routine and well deserved win.
It wasn't the most testing of games from my perspective, nor the most exciting, and I just tried to do the job as efficiently as I could. I did make a few errors, but there were no real big decisions to make, and the game passed off without any real controversy. I tried to communicate with the players, keep my interventions to a minimum and let them get on with it as usual, and I think I was pretty successful in doing so. I am probably refereeing as well as I have done throughout my time here in Nottingham, and I'm glad I have felt I've been improving over time. As I carry on through to the end of the season, I hope my good run of form can continue!
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