RateTheRef

Hopes of a three match weekend in London were dashed when it became apparent that the ground for the intended Friday fixture - at Walton and Hersham - was said to be a 45 minute walk from the station. Given that the current state of JCFC's breathing means that any self-respecting snail would fancy its chances in a race, 45 minutes could well take more than twice that, making it doubtful whether it would be possible to get back to the hotel, so that idea was abandoned. The next day's match was again at a leafy out of town ground, but one with good transport links. So it was off to:

Saturday 21st August 2021
FA Cup Preliminary Round
Redhill   1   v   1   Deal Town
Dane Johnston (Surrey FA); Matthew Jennings, Matthew Dyson.

The pre-match instructions given on the pitch seemed to be extensive, detailed and graphic. The watching JCFC rather regretted the passing of the days of jacket and tie, but it is doubtful whether this sentiment is shared by any match officials. In contrast the very friendly Mr Observer Sherlock was immaculately attired. He was able to confirm that Mr Jennings was to be benchside  - making him the lesser-badged but greater-sleeved young(ish) gentleman.

From the off, Mr Johnston was very sharp and decisive, but gradually settled into the difficult balancing act of setting strict control against more fluid play, which he did pretty well. Deal were largely under the cosh. The Redhill number 7 created a great chance for himself, but put his shot some way off target - a pattern that was to become all too familiar. On 32 minutes, though, the home side (curiously nicknamed The Lobsters) did take the lead, the Deal keeper getting a hand to the shot, but unable to keep it out. On 41 minutes the Redhill winger dunked the ball neatly into the space behind the Deal number 18, who crudely took him out, receiving the inevitable yellow card. Two further chances for Redhill were missed before the break.

A slide into the back of an opponent's ankles soon earned the Deal  number 6 a yellow. On 52 minutes Mr Dyson flagged for an offence concealed from view by spectators; Mr Johnston went to his pocket, simultaneously calling on the physio for an injury elsewhere; there followed a brief word with the assistant and a much longer one with the Redhill number 3; at this point Mr Johnston raced off as the injury treatment had been completed - presumably to ensure that the man down left the pitch; back he came to the scene of the lecture, recalled number 3, who had headed off to his position, and only then showed him the yellow card. Nothing actually wrong in all that, but unusually untidy. On the hour Redhill had a rasping shot brilliantly turned over,  had a shot hit the post and then the Deal keeper saved well at an attacker's feet. A yellow card was shown to a member of the home staff on the far side. The next twenty minutes saw three more yellows, two for Redhill, one for Deal and another Redhill shot against the frame of the goal. On 88 minutes,  just as people were calculating whether Redhill could have been seven or maybe eight ahead, Deal launched a Hail Mary. ball into the goalmouth, the home keeper flapped at it and Deal were able to complete a prime case of Daylight Robbery.

Mr Johnston was light on his feet and very mobile, with good reverse and bouncy side-skips. He got around the field very rapidly, and this,combined with good anticipation meant that he was always right on the spot when required. There was.relatively little in the way of pre-emptive patter, but his overall control was sound and his triage appeared accurate. A very good afternoon's work, with useful interventions from the two assistants. Though a Level 4, to the untrained eye he looked a cut above quite a few Level 3s. I wonder what Mr Sherlock thought.