RateTheRef

The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. When the NWCFL decided to resume this weekend, JCFC obtained a ticket for Golcar United's match against Holker OB. Mid-morning, however, came the news that the match was postponed as the ground was (again) unfit. The Lord, though, had been good enough in the meantime to persuade the NPL to allow fixtures to resume where both teams agreed - and how could high-flying Workington reject the three points they would surely garner from a visit to next-to-bottom Brighouse? And so, on a glorious sunny afternoon, JCFC headed for

Saturday 19th December 2020
NPL Division 1NW
Brighouse Town   2   v   2   Workington
Neil Howlett; Drew Dutton, Ian Thornton.

When arriving at a match where the officials are not known in advance, the programme can provoke either pleasure or disappointment. In this case neither applied: Mr Howlett's previous games had created a sense that he was a competent official, but not one to create a frisson of excitement.

Brighouse started surprisingly brightly. On 5 minutes their winger was bundled over on the touchline, Mr Howlett confidently deciding that arm to rib cage was equivalent to shoulder to shoulder. Mr Thornton would have had a better view, but was too far away to  intervene credibly. Town players raised the odd quizzical eyebrow, but play continued. Five minutes later Town were awarded a free-kick just short of the penalty area: the shot rebounded off the wall and was brilliantly powered home from 20 yards. Workington, however, looked that little bit slicker in their play and soon had a great chance to equalise, but shot rather tamely. On 17 minutes a series of brilliant blocks in the home penalty area kept the visitors out - but at the expense of a nasty injury to the Brighouse defender, who had to be supported on his way to the changing room.  Mr Howlett had a touch of the Nelsons on 24 minutes: the hard-working Town number 9 was held by both arm and shirt when shielding the ball from the Workington number 4, but no free-kick was forthcoming. Number 4, though, did receive a yellow card just after the half hour. Workington failed to take advantage of a 4v2 break, one of the defenders being able to block the ball over for a corner.

It took just a minute of the second half for Workington to draw level, a cross from the left leaving an easy tap-in. Brighouse were soon off target with a half chance. A crunching challenge on 50 minutes produced angry shouts from an unfamiliar group of spectators, who claimed that the yellow card eventually shown to the visiting number 9 was "bottling it." Number 9, meanwhile, appeared to point these spectators out to Mr Howlett - had there been an inappropriate comment? Plenty towards the referee, but JCFC did not hear one addressed to the player. The right back had to be helped off and replaced and there followed a spell of sustained Workington pressure. On 57 minutes the home keeper came and punched a high ball clear, but it was played back and headed in before he could regain his position. His claims that he had been prevented from doing so led to a yellow card - perhaps he should have kept his counsel when disputing the colour of the card at the earlier incident. Workington could have had a third soon afterwards, a good turn ending with a shot just wide. There was an unusual yellow card on 66 minutes, the Workington number 12 not taking a throw in as three times instructed by Mr Howlett, the throw being reversed. Brighouse fans had few expectations of a comeback, but had a shot blocked then saved for a corner, which, as usual, came to nothing. The Brighouse number 8 was late with a challenge on 77 minutes and rightly received his habitual yellow card. By now there was an ominous drumming on the roof, as the heavens opened. Town had a couple of chances, Workington were foiled by the home keeper when clear, a visitor received a yellow card and deep into added time, Brighouse finally had success from a corner, prodding home the equaliser with their final touch of the match. This enabled them to leapfrog Pontefract Collieries into 17th out of 19 in the table.

Mr Howlett had no problem with fitness and maintained decent control of proceedings. There was a reasonable degree of patter and a calm and assured manner. He certainly did better than certain sections of the crowd suggested. For JCFC, though, there was again no frisson that here was somebody special, but it may be that where opinions diverged on certain decisions, three factors should be taken into account: Mr Howlett knows much more about refereeing; JCFC might have been swayed by Brighouse bias; and finally, as masks were to be worn in the stand, parts of the match were seen through a glass steamily.

Having been lulled into a false sense of security by a fine morning, JCFC had not prepared for rain and was therefore somewhat soggy by the time the bus stop was reached - a minute after the bus had departed, making for a less than comfortable wait of 29 minutes. But a point for Brighouse - it was worth the discomfort!