RateTheRef

The train journey had been horrendous. Stranding at Brighouse by a Grand Central cancellation (shortage of conductors) followed by delays on LNER and Cross Country led to successively missed connections at Doncaster, Peterborough and Cambridge. As a result the only option was to alight several stops early to get to the match. The ticket having been booked before the appointments were posted, it was pleasing to find a respected Rate the Ref contributor involved at

Tuesday 13th October 2020
FA Cup 3rd Qualifying Round
Bury Town  2  v. 0   Nuneaton Borough
Aaron Farmer (Colchester);  John Hyde, Cliff Mills.

Mr Farmer is still on the uphill slope of his twenties. His dark hair and eyes, with a flashing smile, must make him attractive to the female of the species, provided that they like a slightly prominent chin. His closing remarks to the club officials pre-match, that the game was not about the officials may or may not be a standard line, but it was convincingly delivered. Would he be able to live up to this? The short answer is "yes."

On 13 minutes a unison Nuneaton appeal for a handball in the area left Mr Farmer unimpressed and nobody sought to press the matter. Similarly, on 25 minutes a Bury attacker was adjudged, accurately enough, to have backed into a defender waiting under a high ball in the goalmouth. Mr Farmer gave the free-kick and scooted off before anyone had a chance to disagree. On 32 minutes a Bury free-kick was headed back from beyond the far post and prodded home to give Bury the lead. Four minutes later they doubled this, a low shot passing between the keeper's legs. Nuneaton created the odd half chance,including one overhead effort, but did not trouble the home keeper.

At the start of the second half, Mr Farmer was in earnest conversation with a group of Nuneaton players. One of them gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder. Not being a Premier League superstar, he did not fall to the ground clutching his face, but continued the chat, which seemed to centre on the number 2. Had he possibly been suffering abuse? If so, Mr Farmer could sympathise, having in the first half been mistaken for R Warnke by some Bury fans who had forgotten that that gentleman's whistling was now confined to heavenly fields. Play got under way again with no further ado and with the visitors on top it took a crucial last-ditch tackle to foil a dangerous raid. There was an invitation to the home captain to attend a warning for his number 10. The Bury defence weathered a series of attacks and when they broke clear,the Nuneaton number 5 settled for a bodycheck and yellow card. The home keeper was performing well, with a good save of a shot through a mass of legs, but as is the way of keepers of sides who are leading, was unable to touch the ball  without collapsing to the ground. Nuneaton were frustrated and one attacker eventually reacted and there might have been a set-to, had Mr Farmer not been very quick to intervene. His word to the attacker and no further action seemed just right.Similarly, his rapid production of a second yellow for the Nuneaton number 5's reckless challenge on 85 minutes forestalled any possible nastiness. There was an added-time yellow for Bury, for preventing a throw, but with their keeper again to the fore, they saw the game out.

Mr Farmer varied his whistle tone well and showed a good turn of pace when required. His triage was excellent, particularly in deciding what did not constitute a foul, but also in his application of appropriate sanctions. He showed a high level  of anticipation, but most impressive of all was his general manner and successful communication, with his smile being deployed regularly. What is certain is that he and his colleagues made an important  contribution to a most enjoyable game. If this was typical of his usual standard (is it, nemesis?) there is every reason to think that he deserves to be upwardly mobile. A mature chap with a wise head on young shoulders.

The train journey had been horrendous. Stranding at Brighouse by a Grand Central cancellation (shortage of conductors) followed by delays on LNER and Cross Country led to successively missed connections at Doncaster, Peterborough and Cambridge. As a result the only option was to alight several stops early to get to the match. The ticket having been booked before the appointments were posted, it was pleasing to find a respected Rate the Ref contributor involved at

Tuesday 13th October 2020
FA Cup 3rd Qualifying Round
Bury Town  2  v. 0   Nuneaton Borough
Aaron Farmer (Colchester);  John Hyde, Cliff Mills.

Mr Farmer is still on the uphill slope of his twenties. His dark hair and eyes, with a flashing smile, must make him attractive to the female of the species, provided that they like a slightly prominent chin. His closing remarks to the club officials pre-match, that the game was not about the officials may or may not be a standard line, but it was convincingly delivered. Would he be able to live up to this? The short answer is "yes."

On 13 minutes a unison Nuneaton appeal for a handball in the area left Mr Farmer unimpressed and nobody sought to press the matter. Similarly, on 25 minutes a Bury attacker was adjudged, accurately enough, to have backed into a defender waiting under a high ball in the goalmouth. Mr Farmer gave the free-kick and scooted off before anyone had a chance to disagree. On 32 minutes a Bury free-kick was headed back from beyond the far post and prodded home to give Bury the lead. Four minutes later they doubled this, a low shot passing between the keeper's legs. Nuneaton created the odd half chance,including one overhead effort, but did not trouble the home keeper.

At the start of the second half, Mr Farmer was in earnest conversation with a group of Nuneaton players. One of them gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder. Not being a Premier League superstar, he did not fall to the ground clutching his face, but continued the chat, which seemed to centre on the number 2. Had he possibly been suffering abuse? If so, Mr Farmer could sympathise, having in the first half been mistaken for R Warnke by some Bury fans who had forgotten that that gentleman's whistling was now confined to heavenly fields. Play got under way again with no further ado and with the visitors on top it took a crucial last-ditch tackle to foil a dangerous raid. There was an invitation to the home captain to attend a warning for his number 10. The Bury defence weathered a series of attacks and when they broke clear,the Nuneaton number 5 settled for a bodycheck and yellow card. The home keeper was performing well, with a good save of a shot through a mass of legs, but as is the way of keepers of sides who are leading, was unable to touch the ball  without collapsing to the ground. Nuneaton were frustrated and one attacker eventually reacted and there might have been a set-to, had Mr Farmer not been very quick to intervene. His word to the attacker and no further action seemed just right.Similarly, his rapid production of a second yellow for the Nuneaton number 5's reckless challenge on 85 minutes forestalled any possible nastiness. There was an added-time yellow for Bury, for preventing a throw, but with their keeper again to the fore, they saw the game out.

Mr Farmer varied his whistle tone well and showed a good turn of pace when required. His triage was excellent, particularly in deciding what did not constitute a foul, but also in his application of appropriate sanctions. He showed a high level  of anticipation, but most impressive of all was his general manner and successful communication, with his smile being deployed regularly. What is certain is that he and his colleagues made an important  contribution to a most enjoyable game. If this was typical of his usual standard (is it, nemesis?) there is every reason to think that he deserves to be upwardly mobile. A mature chap with a wise head on young shoulders.

I have seen him many times of course, initially in the Eastern Counties League where he was a competent and energetic official. I have noticed a marked difference as he has continued on his probably inevitable upward climb. His comment that the match is not about the officials grated somewhat as too many of his performances for me have been just that, never overlooking a chance to get noticed.

My, and a good chunk of Suffolk's, dislike for him is crystallised on an evening last November at Portman Road when he and Alan Young contrived to produce one of the worst collective performances of officiating possibly of all time at Portman Road against Wycombe. I'm sure it has been well documented on here.  He had also walked away mid pre-season friendly at Coggeshall as he was unhappy with the durations of play and number of substitutes the teams wanted and the match was refereed to a conclusion by club staff.

He seems to have the eye of people that matter and making a couple of catastrophic errors on the line doesn't really seem to hold back the chosen ones.

Did you go in their new stand? Its debut a couple of weeks back was abandoned after the referee decided that the fog, he'd manfully struggled through for most of the second half and which was lifting, had suddenly become too thick to complete the last few minutes of the game.

I hope you enjoyed your visit to Suffolk.

Hope you make a quick recovery from your illness, nemesis.

Your comments about Mr Farmer show the danger of my forming opinions on minimal evidence, but on this occasion he did come across well.

Thank you for your good wishes and I'm glad he enhanced your evening !

Sadly, my attempt to get a few more Cup ties in this week has been seriously derailed by persistent illness, unusual for me. Ten days without a game and counting ..... I'll be getting withdrawal symptoms, to go with the others.

Anyway they obviously forgot to tell the players at Leiston, my intended destination, as they put on a 20 penalty shoot out kick finale with Leiston getting home 9-8.

Stuck indoors I watched the Christchurch/Dulwich Hamlet match on TV and of course pens at the end, albeit a miserly 9 of them.

Get well soon sweetie x

SELSTON V NEWARK
Midland Football League
Score 1:4
Att: head count of @ 120
Match difficulty 2/5
match quality 3/5

Referee. Callum Fisk. L4

(I left, frozen, after 78 mins)

The Parish ground of Selston, just a mile off the M1, hugs the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire border. It is shared by cricket and football, and was officially opened by Harold Larwood and Sam Staples in the early 1930's.

IfJCFC cares to travel, his nearest stations are Kirkby in Ashfield or Alfreton. "Near" is, of course, relative. Alfreton was, once upon a time, suggested as the best connection for Mansfield Town FC, and the seven mile walk would have impressed many on the Football Specials of the 70s and 80s!

Junior teams, Senior teams, past and present adorn the pavilion. Teas and coffees with a smile, and a free temperature check thrown in. It is of the time I'm afraid, but Selston FC is homely, and is probably why I spent twenty or so years here, getting hit into the bowling green over Long Off.

Not knowing my Midland League from my mushy peas, all I can say is one side are the Dutch orange, and they appear to be up against Inter Milan. The referee would be difficult to pick up all night because of the home team's kit. If a referee is to be unobtrusive wherever possible, an all black kit against a blue and black kit does the job!

Solutions to the problem are easy to solve, and with little expense for these unfortunate clashes, so I recommend a visit to the cycling dept at Halfords for yellow arm bands for all referees!

Anyway, it's chilly, and here we go!

Mr Fisk was fit, and easily got around the field. Though I wouldn't necessarily agree with all decisions, there's no doubt that he was near enough to make them. His cautioning was consistent, though he could perhaps add a little zip to the technique, remembering that no player wants extended lectures for run-of-the-mill cautions.

As critique I would say that he needs to work on positioning at free kicks, for time and again he chose to operate in the same sphere as his active Assistant, when one might say there is no need.

Furthermore, and though there isn't an excuse for dissent, it is sometimes better dealt with by employing selective deafness. Mr Fisk might want to consider a little more deafness, for there wasn't once in the four or five times where a word was deemed necessary that such dissent carried to the spectators..or maybe I had the wind at my back?

But in the time i watched Mr Fisk was in control, moved well and certainly would hope to progress in future years. His generally low key approach found favour, and I never heard anyone from the home crowd bitching about his display...which couldn't be said whenever I came onto bowl all those years ago!

I hope you are quickly restored to rude health m'learned friend. Some consolation that East Anglia appears to be one of the more healthy parts of the Kingdom Covid wise. Here in Herts we have avoided Tier 2 for now but I suspect it is on its way.

Thank you so much. Rude will be easy, health may take longer.

Quote from: JCFC on Wed 30 Sep 2020 15:39

I hope club treasurers are well prepared.

Those clubs in Yorkshire better get used to paying more expenses

As I handed over my £1 for the raffle, I was grumpily informed "It's drawn by the referee at half time, if you don't win, blame him.We've had to pay £160 for the officials today." In the end it was AR1 who made the draw - and I didn't win, but don't blame her at all.

Episode 5
Saturday 17th October 2020
FA Vase 2nd Qualifying Round
Liversedge   3   v   1   Ashton Athletic
Michael Trevethan (Leeds); Clare Thompson, Keiran Leach.

It is many years since Mr Trevethan was first encountered at Silsden, as AR2 to Duncan Street and in those days he was Wakefield based. He had appeared on the line several times since, but had never been seen in the middle before.

There was an early, accidental, head/blood injury to an Ashton man, Mr Trevethan following the protocol precisely. The visitors' goal on 5 minutes was an elegant one after good work on the right. A spell of Liversedge pressure eventually produced an equaliser on 11 minutes. Midway through the half, Sedge had a half chance, but gave the keeper an easy save, and within seconds Ashton had a two-thirds chance but headed it wide. It was then the turn of a Liversedge player to require attention for a blood injury. His goalkeeper, who had never been popular with JCFC when at Brighouse, promptly acquired a foot problem. Mr Trevethan repeatedly called for the physio, who continued to treat the blood injury. When sufficient time had elapsed, the keeper "bravely" regained his feet and play was able to resume. Mr Trevethan headed for the dug-out, probably to remind them that he would wish to check before allowing the man back on, rather than to issue a rebuke for this bit of gamesmanship. AR2 came briefly under fire from the said keeper when he half flagged for something not in his sector before thinking better of it, Mr Trevethan, much closer, letting play continue. Just before the break, Sedge attackers failed to make contact with a ball all the way across the Ashton goal. At the interval, the Ashton number 11 had something he wished to clarify.

The same number 11 conceded a free-kick just two minutes into the second half and Liversedge headed it home to take the lead.  They might have added a third just short of the hour, when two unselfish passes ended with the ball at the feet of a colleague, who wanted too many touches and found his shot blocked on the line.When it did come, on 72 minutes, it was a 25 yard screamer. Mr Trevethan had been leading the inexperienced-looking AR2 well on throws, but on 81 minutes, one was clearly wrong and disputed by Sedge. At a stoppage seconds later the most voluble protester was called for a lecture, and proceeded to deliver one! It would doubtless have quickly been forgotten, but if a warning about dissent was thought necessary, either a quick word in passing  or firmer action would have been acceptable, but this time it merely allowed a chance for further dissent and seemed counterproductive, though matters continued peaceably to the finish, with the home keeper taking every opportunity in the final quarter, or more, to do his well-rehearsed imitation of a beached whale every time he touched the ball.

There were a number of knocks and bumps, but no real malice. Mr Trevethan managed to get through without resorting to a card and there was nothing that really demanded one. He had to issue a good number of "formal" words to players, involving the captains on four occasions and this was sufficient to retain control. His movement was steady rather than spectacular, but perfectly adequate and his dealings with players seemed appropriate, with a degree of praise and the occasional smile. There was one slightly irksome habit - in this quarter, if nowhere else. At the end of his warnings to players, he sends them on their way by raising a hand, looking as if he is brandishing a non-existent card. A habit to avoid, please, but otherwise a job well done.

Grantham Town v Matlock Town
NPL Att. 155
Referee: Scott Mason of Sutton-in-Ashfield L3
Game difficulty 2/5
Match quality 2/5

Not wanting to waste a trip into Lincs, or Leics, or wherever Grantham is, I arrived early to walk a stretch of the abandoned Grantham Canal, as you do. Abandoned is not too harsh a word either, as it was as bleak a landscape as you'd ever find in mid October, with nothing to see beyond reeds and seeding willow herb. At least it was dry!

Kesteven Stadium is hard work. I don't doubt the efforts and friendly welcome of the club, with well rehersed covid instructions too, but it is an athletic stadium, with a football pitch in the middle, and though there are two commendable stands, it is like watching a game with your binoculars held back to front.

I don't know how many games Scott has done in this division, my guess as a second season L3 is not many, but I have to say he didn't look out of place. I usually favour a soft hand on the tiller when the game allows, which this game did.

A penalty to Matlock midway through the first half was the games' only goal, with no arguments from any Grantham players. Grantham did have a good shout for a penalty in the second half, which seemed to have merits to me, but as I was viewing from somewhere near Newark in the "standing only" stand, it's not the easiest argument to make.

A soft criticism would be that Scott might want to be a little more aware of time wasting tactics from the side leading, for he seemed to react a little late to them. It's a fine margin sometimes between being too keen, or being not keen enough I know.

Other than that I thought his effective understated way of managing this game worked well, and hope ( as I left at 80 mins) that nothing changed that view in the closing minutes.

Been to Grantham once, horrible place and a horrible ground. Obviously it was back when fans were allowed and they weren’t particularly friendly either..