RateTheRef

If Friday's match had been a rather dull affair, Saturday's was to prove anything but. Used to the sensible Northern habit of putting the railway station in the centre of the town, JCFC nevertheless enjoyed the walk into the town and out the other side (less so on the return when rain started) that led to

Episode 3
Saturday 10th October 2020
FA Vase 2nd Qualifying Round
Fleet Town   3   v   1   Shrivenham
Dani Mansour (Middlesex); Jason Smith, Richard Rimmington.

It was to be hoped that Mr Mansour would prove nicer and less ferocious than his copious beard made him appear - and so it proved, with plenty of praise and lots of smiles. He earned a Brownie point for long sleeves, or rather half a point as they disappeared at half-time. Sadly, his badge did not proclaim his County affiliation. On the badge front, Mr Smith had a very little one (unidentified.) He sported a plunging neckline, and was tall, slim and of bland appearance. None of that description applies to Major Rimmington and his self-description as ageing appeared to apply to the extent that we are all ageing from the moment we are born until we finally expire. His Army FA badge was proudly displayed. As an even more irrelevant point than usual, JCFC has one gripe. Having grown up attending chapel teas where we sang Grace to Rimington (Be present at our table Lord...) and later officiated at Rimington FC - change in Farmer Thistlethwaite's henhouse, which confirms the minimal level of JCFC'S refereeing knowledge - it is sad to accord this gentleman an extra m, especially as he already has one in front of his BE.

The first incident of note came after 7 minutes. The Shrivenham keeper came charging out to intercept, found himself with no obvious alternative but to continue his run down the left touchline before pumping the ball forward. It was soon in the hands of the home keeper, who launched it back. As the visiting keeper tried to regain his area, he was deliberately tripped by the Fleet number 10, who was fortunate that the officials' focus was elsewhere. On 10 minutes the Shrivenham number 11 was guilty of an over-committed challenge. Mr Mansour settled for a stepped approach and a warning with captain - defensible enough, though some might have skipped this stage. On 22 minutes the lucky Fleet number 10 was high and late with a challenge. Major Rimmington flagged and the same procedure was applied,  possibly less defensibly in JCFC'S view. An offside flag went unnoticed on 28 minutes. Three times in the first half the Shrivenham keeper could only watch as the ball passed just wide of his right post. On 35 minutes the Shrivenham number 5 clattered the back of an attacker's legs and was probably fortunate to escape with a word of warning.

At a stoppage early in the second half, Major Rimmington tried to attract the attention of the Shrivenham right back to clear something off the pitch, resorting to repeated cries of "player" (it sounded odd some years ago when Darren Wilding used it as his default mode of address) but had no luck until he was able to identify him as "number 2." On 58 minutes the Fleet number 5 was both high and late, sparking a minor stramash, if that is not contradiction in terms.Mr Mansour took the offender to one side and after completing the formalities showed a justified red card. On 63 minutes, the Shrivenham sub robbed a defender and had only the keeper to beat. He did not fire past the post: instead he hit it and the rebound was cleared. A Fleet miscue in front of goal wasted a glorious chance. A succession of corners as Shrivenham defenders headed behind allowed one assistant time to rummage in his pockets to find something to keep his energy levels up. On 72 minutes a Fleet player was hurt in a challenge with an opponent. The home number 6 was sent the sin-bin for protesting at the lack of a free-kick, but it looked to be a situation of simultaneous fouls, if such a concept is possible. Though now down to  9 men, Fleet took the lead three minutes later, but a good run down the right, a perfect cross and excellent header enabled Shrivenham to equalise on 79 minutes. A wild, uncontrolled challenge with no regard to the ball  on 83 minutes inevitably led to a red card for the visiting number 6. At this point the home player was waved back from his sin-bin, ran across the field, chased a ball into the corner - and was promptly subbed. Two minutes into added time a free-kick was headed back across the goal  and prodded in to give Fleet the lead. The game was not yet finished, though. A ball struck into the area rebounded off a Fleet defender.. Shrivenham appealed for a penalty. Those of us on the stand side were in no position to judge, but Mr Mansour immediately indicated nothing doing, and that should have been the end of it. It was unfortunate that as Shrivenham clamoured for a penalty, three Fleet forwards broke clear. Two of them were not needed as the man in possession  beat the keeper to make it 3-1 and prompt extended protests, the visiting keeper booting the ball away. At the final whistle,the Shrivenham players' fist touches seemed to be accompanied by recriminations, while a member of the coaching staff appeared to deliver a lengthy tirade,  Mr Mansour showing tremendous patience and restraint.

If at times JCFC and Mr Mansour did not see quite eye to eye, that is probably more of a reflection on the former, who tends to favour a harder-line approach. It was unreasonable to expect a performance of the quality of Hampshire referees Matt Russell and Robert Ablitt in the last two seasons from a (presumed) Level 4, but there was still much to appreciate in his work: excellent movement, good communication skills, both individually and more generally and commendable sharpness in the decisions he made. Would earlier use of the yellow card have prevented the later reds? Almost certainly not, as the offenders simply were not in control of themselves in that instant. Let's hope, anyway, that his next match has a less fraught ending.

What is clear is that the interpretation of handball now being applied at the top level, is perhaps operable for the upper echelons with access to VAR and slow motion replays, but makes things infinitely more difficult, if not impossible, for the vast majority of referees lower down the order, who do not enjoy such luxuries. Expectations are created which officials cannot hope to meet.