Bearsted v Seven Acre & Sidcup

When I got this fixture I was very chuffed and excited. My 1st game in the Kent Invicta League is a premier league game - wow!!

The week building up to game I was trying to fit in as many ways to keep fit as possible. I've done a few 12min sprints ready for the fitness test I plan on taking next summer. Not quite hit the 2.5k, the closest I got was 30metres short. I have no doubt I will be able to do it with no problems by the summer.

On Tuesday I went back to British Military Fitness after having about a month off due to work commitments and the Olympics. I throw myself into the deep end and do a double session of circuits, well that was very hard. Unfortunately picked a few sore back and the inside of my left leg was hurting for a few days after. I put some deep heat on it and heat pad and hoped for the best.
Unfortunately the new KCFA referee badges are not ready yet so last night had to get mum to put the old KCFA badge on my new Umbro diamond kit.

This morning I woke up excited, today is the day I have been waiting for. My 1st game in the Kent Invicta league. I knew my kit bag was all ready as I do that after every game. I get my FA referee shirt out and it creased - oh well glad I got that ready early plenty of time to iron it, I got the iron out and did the job. I hung it up ready to wear & made sure my suit was looking ok and just relaxed at home. I was starting to feel a bit nervous as it was a whole new league and experience for me .

My 11 month old niece turned up so I got the chance to act like a kid for a while to take my mind off the game. At midday I start to get ready & my brother seemed shocked about the suit I had to wear. I explained that I'm in a new league and he said I looked very smart.

I'm off in my car, I knew where I was going as I had been there only a month before to referee Bearsted v Maidstone. I would have liked Mr. TOM TOM just as re-assurance but left that at home. DOH.

I get to the ground at 1pm for 3pm KO. Mega early.

The 1st half was ok. I kept up with play ok. Could always improve. Those 12min sprints I have been doing have helped. There was one decision I gave it was a thrown in. Went to give it to defending team then very quickly changed my mind and the referee over ruled me. The crowd gave me some stick and this was only 5min into the game. I thought please don't let this be the start of a horrible game.

Right at the end of the 1st half the ball was played forward. If I'm honest I was more side on to the pitch and not facing it. The ball was clearly going out of play. The striker was in an offside position and really had no chance of getting it. I didn't flag at 1st, I didn't see him, stupidly until late also he was not interfering with play & the defending team got the throw anyway. They along with the crowd were going mad about the offside.

At half time I stopped my run keeper app and this time I had run 1.13 miles. I got a lot of helpful hints at half time from both the ref and asst ref who were level 5 refs. Both used to be 4's but had to stop due to work commitments. The main point being to wait wait and wait some more, whether it be a foul, throw in or off side. The ref also mentioned about the last minute off side shout. He said I need to face the pitch more and do the "crab" walk/run.

The 2nd half started & went ok. Again I kept up with play ok, but could always improve on fitness. I felt the advice helped as I saw an off side and waited and waited and the ball didn't go to him so I didn't flag.
The 2nd half had no real talking points from my point of view.

At full time we had a good de-brief about the game, the ref said I had a lot better second half and took his points on board.

Overall I did enjoy it & I learnt a lot from this game:
1. Make sure I do the crab walk/run as much as possible
2. Wait wait wait and wait some more before flag - a late flag which is correct is better than a incorrect flag which is early
3. The sprints and runs have helped but still need to improve on fitness

There are no photos as it was at the same ground as only a few weeks ago!

Friendly Match Homesdale v West Wickham

When I get this fixture I think oh it's only down the road as Homesdale school is close by. As always I ask for directions - the match is in bromley.

After a very stressful and tiring 10 days at work and some very sad family news on my girlfriend side I leave home at 12.30. Mr TOM TOM says it will take 45 minutes to get there. PERFECT for a 3pm KO.



I get to the ground at about 1315. The ground was slightly off the main road but the big road sign helped. There a few people already there so I put my bag in the changing room and take a look at the pitch, nice pitch and clearly just cut, lets hope my hayfever is not affected. I notice a bonfire in the corner of the pitch, lets hope the smoke does not affect the game - I doubt it with the size of it.

I seemed to be waiting for ages for the ref and asst ref to turn up. The ref turns up about 2pm and the other asst shortly after. Changing room is a bit small but we coped.
The ref didn't want to warm up so me and the asst go out and do a few sprints and stretches while catching up. I know him from my RA but were unaware we had this game together!

We head back in and I'm worried about my phone. Not that it will get stolen, far from it. I wanted to measure how far I would run on the line during the game, but my planning for this was not great as the battery was quite low. I tell the other asst of my plan and he seems quite interested. I set it up using the Run Keeper app.

No real instructions from the ref - fine happy with that.

I get out onto the FOP and press start - NO!!!! I forgot to turn off the music!! I laugh now but what a nightmare! I try to ignore it - not happening. what do I do?? thankfully the ball goes OOP and I manage to turn off my phone. Let's worry about that at HT. The 1st half ends and we head in. Nothing major to talk about. I sort out my phone and thinking lets hope it works. The ref has a change and I run the bench side in 2nd half, fine by me again nothing major in 2nd to note. I knew it was getting very close to the end of the game and Holmesdale who are 2-0 give away a penalty. West Wickham score and that was the last kick of the game.

I stop the app and it looks like it worked. We get back to the changing room and the app says I have run 0.91 miles. I had no idea what to expect but as this worked well I plan on doing this most, if not all my games.

Points learned:
Still need to improve speed and fitness
Make sure the music it turned of on APP
It didn't feel right not having my yellow/red card in pocket even if asst ref - must take them out

2nd pre-season Match

I was desperate to do more matches. I got an e-mail about pre-seasons friendly but I learnt quickly that referees are very quick off the mark and as soon as they get an e-mail about a pre-season friendly they reply within seconds. I missed out on a few - gutted!!

I decided to "advertise" the fact I was looking for pre-seasons games on Twitter in my local area and asked Kent FA and other people to re-tweet it. Within a couple of days a manager made contact with me asking if I was willing to do Under13games. 100% yes. Any game is always good for me. We exchanged a few tweets and direct messages and numbers. He phoned me up and I still didn't catch the team’s names but that didn't really matter to me, I got a game. I remember speaking to the manager and remember him saying they play 4 20minute sessions. I thought this was strange as I have never done this before, but hey - it will be an experience.

The game was to be played on 17th July 2012 at 7pm KO at Cobdown Sports Centre. I know the location well so didn’t need directions. When the game was confirmed I sent a text message to a colleague at working telling them that I will defiantly need to leave on time and her reply was that it could be interesting as most of my colleagues will be out the office on different operational duties - PANTS. This caused me a few worries as I had promised to do a game as was very worried I could not get off work on time. The day before I had 1.5hrs overtime and I was praying that today would not be a repeat of that.

I get into work and thankfully there was no new work to do. I managed to do other bits of work and thankfully I left on time. I got home on time and didn’t really need to get ready for about an hour or so. I arrive at the ground at 1800hrs. A few players are there and I see two adults setting up the nets. I walk over and one of them is the manager who I had been speaking to. We shake hands and have a brief chat. One of my 1st observations is that the pitch was really narrow and there were no corner arch's. He said he wanted to widen the pitch by 2 yards each side. I asked him how he was going to do this he said with cones. I was really unhappy with this as the pitch was already marked out with white lines and I expressed my concerns to him saying players could easily see the white line and when the ball had gone out of play and pick the ball up and then it would be hand ball. I said we would play as it is now. He seemed a little upset/annoyed but accepted my explanation.

I ask the names of the two teams and again I am managing Maidstone United. I can’t believe it. OK it maybe the Under 13's, but still they are representing the team I was a mascot for! They are applying a team called Shelton Athletic from Surrey.

I speak to the home manager and ask about the 4 20minute sessions and at the age this is normally. Well this will be new to me. He told me to treat is as 4 separate half's.

I started my warm up with a run around the pitch and a few stretches. I suddenly notice I have made a massive fail. I am changed but I don't have ref socks on - ubber fail - I quickly run to my car and change. Thinking I am ready for the game I stand in the middle of the field and the away team captain approaches me and says hi. As if forgetting my socks was not bad enough this just topped it for me, 2 minutes to KO I suddenly notice I have not sorted out my assistants. I quickly sort them out settle down, sort the coin toss out and the game in under way.

The 1st 1/4 (I guess that is what I will call it!) went well. Maidstone were defiantly the dominate team. I am not going to do a match report but overall I think I did well. Towards the end of the game (I think it was the 4th 1/4!!) a player went in with two feet. He did not going flying in from 10 feet away he was very close when he committed himself. I was feet away. I decided that a red card would be far too harsh for this. Yes it was a definite foul a Free kick. It could be argued I could have issued a yellow card. I had to take everything into account and the fact the most I had blown up for was a hand ball and a minor trip during the entire game. I had words with the player and said that he can’t go in with two feet and he was sorry straight away.

The full time score was Maidstone Utd 2 Shelton Athletic 3

Points I learnt:

1. Make sure I am proper ready and dressed before entering the FOP

2. Make sure I have sorted out AR at least 15min before KO.

            

My 1st pre-season friendly

My 1st game of the season (2012/2013) was a pre-season friendly. I would be the asst ref for the game. I was told it was Bearstead Youth v Maidstone Utd. I assumed it would be Maidstone utd youth team - but I later found out how wrong I was!!

On Saturday 7th July I woke up and had a relaxing morning. I then look in my diary on my phone and see 1300 game. Its 1130 and I start to panic thinking it's a 1300 KO and not, as I later found out, be there for 1300!! I start to rush round the house getting changed and getting my bag by the front door.

I cant get hold of the referee and I start to panic even more. I get in my car and notice I have enough diesel to get me to the end of the road and that was it. PANTS!. I quickly fill up with the stuff and get to the ground. I get there about 1215hrs. There are a few grounds staff there but no one else. I make sure I am in the right place and this is when it suddenly dawns on me that it was a be at the ground for around 1300hrs and not KO at 1300hrs. DOH!!

I decided to wait around as I have just traveled 12miles so no point in going home. I take this opportunity to have a look around the ground and gather my thoughts. On talking to the staff it comes to light that it will be Maidstone Utd 1st team and not their youth team. OH!! The nerves have gone sky high. This team are in the Rymans League. The press will be there and everything. This is no time to make any silly mistakes. Then the memory of being a mascot for Maidstone Utd came flooding back. I was only 8 - 1991 at the old Dartford ground - ahh the memories.  

The players start to arrive and I recognize none of them - that is a good start. The referee arrives. We had already been in contact via text once I had arrived and he had no idea who his assistant were and we just laugh it off. We both walk around the pitch waiting for the other asst to arrive. There was a small stand for about 60 people to sit in - this was def going to be used later in the game!!

A short while later the other asst arrives and we go into the changing room have a chat and get changed ready for the warm up. I'm a level 7, the ref was a 5 and I think the other asst ref was a 6 or a 5. Well the warm up def warmed me up. Note to self - need to get fit!!

We head back into the changing room for a last minute briefing and we are ready for the off. I was on the crowd side of the ground. This was official the biggest crowd I had worked in front off. I later find out the attendance was 215. Before this game I think the biggest was around 80 at a under 13 cup final.

Only a few minutes into the game I had to make a decision on a corner or goal kick. The ball went "ping-ping" I really was not sure. Looking back it was a def corner. I just held my flag down and looked at the ref for a signal. Maidstone's CB did have a dig asking what it was and I stupidly said "IM NOT SURE" and he asked why I was looking at the ref and my reply was "BECAUSE HE IS IN CHARGE". To be fair to this player about 5 minutes later when the ball was out of play he came over to me and said he was sorry for shouting at me and then gave me a "man hug", to say this caught me off guard is a mild understatement. The whole crowd roared with laughter and we got on with the game.   .

15 minutes into the game Maidstone take the lead, and then the heavens open. Everyone got soaked, and the stand suddenly got full, i'm not sure why really.

In the 1st half I think I kept up with play well. During HT break I spoke to the ref about what the CB had done and why. He told me that the worse thing I did was to say "IM NOT SURE" what I should have said was my decision is "NO DECISION" and hopefully by that time the ref has given a decision and then I can go with that. Lesson learnt there.

The 2nd half went well. I have to admit I did get caught out of position a few times mainly for two reasons - the speed of the players, as I was now at the end where MUFC were attacking, and not being up to a level of fitness I should be. Again lesson learnt.

The FT whistle went and I enjoyed the game. The final score was Bearstead 1 Maidstone Utd 5. I could never have imagined 21years ago when I was just 8yrs old walking out of the tunnel with players such as Mark Beeney, Mark Gull, Jason Lillis would I be an Asst referee for Maidstone Utd 21yrs later!

A few lessons and pointers picked up in this game. Im looking forward to next season and the experience I am going to get.

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