RateTheRef

Plan B started well - the pitch was reported to be looking good and the train left on time. It soon began to look more doubtful, as we were halted in a queue of trains, with mention of flooding in the tunnel at Winchburgh. The train moved forward in short stages, each time halting between high rock faces, suggesting that the surname of the former referee from Winchburgh may have been appropriate. A journey of less than twenty minutes took over fifty, but a brisk walk enabled JCFC to reach the Falkirk Stadium in time for

Saturday 11th January 2020
Scottish Lowland Football League
East Stirlingshire   1   v   2   University of Stirling
Ross Nelson (Lanarkshire?); Gary Hilland, Niamh Westwood.

The colour scheme was red, both assistants choosing long sleeves. Tall Mr Nelson did not and his skinny forearms emphasised his leanness - not much more meat on him than would be found in a fashionable vegan sausage roll. He soon made his presence felt, however, lecturing the Shire number 8 at the first sign of dissent and cautioning their number 4 on 5 minutes for a tug back on the visiting winger. A spot of backchat soon allowed the home number 11 to get to know Mr Nelson a little better. The Uni attacks failed too often through offside, accurately assessed by the admirable Miss Westwood, Shire being thwarted by brave defence, with one attack producing a series of desperate blocks.

Early in the second half Stirling had a shot rebound from the bar, but they took the lead on 63 minutes. This lasted just three minutes, a Shire shot being deflected and looping high into the goal. The keeper claimed he was impeded - he was, but the attacker is under no obligation to move out of the way and the goal correctly stood. An excellent run by a Shire player ended with a rebound off the post. Stirling were apparently happy with their point and looked to slow things down, the Shire number 11 seeing yellow for chirruping about a substitution. The Stirling winner on 82 minutes was largely self-inflicted from the Shire point of view: defenders appealed for an offside flag, Mr Hilland, a former Category 1 referee, did not oblige and as the centre back stood with hand raised, a colleague idiotically passed the ball back and a Stirling attacker was left with just the keeper to beat, which he accomplished with ease. There was time before the close for a yellow for dissent from the home number 15. At the close he headed for Mr Nelson, stopped three yards short and turned on his heel and marched away. Only one Shire player shook Mr Nelson's hand, but it is hard to see what their problem was - their own performance was simply not good enough on the day.

Mr Nelson did well enough - any referee who deals firmly with gobby players will always find favour with JCFC. His triage appeared sound and his movement good, the one reservation being that he whistled unnecessarily strongly on occasions.

So Plan B worked perfectly -or did it? Back at Grahamston station, the boards revealed that all trains for the next hour or more were cancelled. A replacement bus went up to Falkirk High, but trains from there do not stop at Edinburgh Park, so it was necessary to travel on to Haymarket and catch a train back. Never mind, the evening meal was excellent!