When a game goes right

I had an excellent game yesterday. It was one of those where everything just goes right.

It looked like a promising game from the beginning. The home side is one of the oldest football clubs in Surrey and so has a lot of tradition and is entrenched in the community. They also won the Sportsmanship and Assistant Referee trophies the previous season.

The club has a great setup and the pavilion bar was packed from the off. The vibe was right from the beginning. I was welcomed and in my changing room everything was ready (balls, flags…). Most of the time I have to chase these things which is an unwelcome distraction.

It also became apparent early on that many of the club officials were active or ex-referees! This was nerve wracking. However, it just made me more focused. Some games you are more aware of the eyes on you, such as the cup finals I did last year.

The game was excellent. Both sides there to play football and despite the 0-3 scoreline it was a very competitive game. It could easily have been 3-3. I had a good rapport with the players and managers and any dodgy tackles just needed words with the players to get them to calm down. It worked. One caution was needed for a deliberate pull back on the shirt (which was as blatant as these can possibly be) and it was accepted in good grace. Admittedly, the away side did try the “It’s his first one, ref!” trick but deep down they knew it was a mandatory caution. This was handy as in one of my games last week a player who did the same thing just didn’t understand why I could not let him get away with it!

The mood changed when I gave a penalty against the home side. It was a clear ‘freight train’ barge after the ball had gone. Yes, the away player made a meal of it but there was no way he was staying on his feet. The protests resulted in a dismissal for OFFINABUS (“You f*cking cheat”). Very surprising to see such a switch considering the tone of the game so far, so naturally I got to thinking, “Hmm, did I get that one wrong?”.

Thankfully, after the game the watching officials agreed that it was a definite penalty, and that their own player deserved to be dismissed! This was so refreshing. I’d have been more than happy to accept a difference of opinion but they agreed with me. This was a real boost to my confidence, as naturally in many games penalties are disputed until the end of time.

It just goes to show how clubs such as the home side stand out. Great facilities, people and attitude. An absolute credit to the game. I should point out that the sportsmanship of the away side was exemplary as well.

It’s a shame that this game was not assessed. However, the club marks should be high which is going to help.