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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