RateTheRef

Well, I did make sure that Brighouse matters were in orange.

You steered clear of THAT colour as well!

The first time I saw this Mr Watson on the line - some years ago at Charnock Richard - I was struck by a resemblance to his excellent namesake Dean, but the Observer at that game assured me that they were not related. The resemblance in the cheekbones was apparent again yesterday, so a little detective work has found that an Adam Christopher Watson was born in Bury,  three years after a Dean Michael Watson, each having the same mother's maiden name. Coincidence? Or could an Observer possibly have got something wrong? Does anyone know for sure?

Sheffield FC v Hebburn
Northern Premier League D1 E
Referee. Macauley Gibson
Possibly Scarborough

Don't think that I don't enjoy coming here. The ground always has plenty of atmosphere, the chips are great, and there's a pub clinging to the side of the ground. What's not to like!

It was one of those days which only come to Sheffield FC in August and April. Tough conditions to play good football, the ball bouncing around like Skippy on a trampoline. I suppose it's better than Sept to March, where though its still a great ground to spectate, one is more reminded of the Grimpen Myre. That Dronfield, where Sheffield FC play, is on the edge of the Peak District, and one of the local referees from down the road is called Baskerville..  There's a pretty solid link if you ask me!

Mr Gibson had a pretty easy afternoon in the first 85 mins (gotta beat the traffic, haven't you, in a 534 gate!). Fit, calm and with good player management. There was so little to report that I'm going to take a couple of minor points and transfer them to billboards, though 4000 miles from Ebbing, Missouri.

Twice is not habitual, but nor is it once, and twice Mr Gibson stopped play for a " head injury assessment " which, with somewhat more experience he'd have assessed it himself by telling the fly in the eye to move it, or by removing the eyelash from the field of play! On each occasion the physio didn't look that keen to enter the field. He, like me, realised it was not much about very little. I'm all for caution, but both incidents could have been read a little better.

Secondly,  we all realise that there are optimum positions to take on corners, attacking free kicks etc, though gawd knows they have changed down the years, but you'd think if you needed to shield your eyes from the sun, then that isn't the best position to take after all? To take up exactly the same position in the very next minute for another corner.. What did Einstein say about doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results.... Think on your feet Mr Gibson, don't be a slave to positioning advice, only if it's from me! 😉

My last word on this is a guarded one regarding predictive text. Type in Missouri, and it comes up as Kissograms!!  I can't be too long away from a knock at the door! 😄

Train to Dewsbury, followed by a 126 bus saw JCFC comfortably to

Monday 10th April 2023
NPL Division 1 East
Ossett United   0   v   4   Brighouse Town
Anthony Tankard; Stephen Beresford, Charles King

Having no prior knowledge of the appointments for this game, JCFC was relying on the programme and was miffed to find that there wasn't one. The sight of mud and puddles in the stand-end goalmouth suggested that the referee would be an old hand, rather than a young thruster - and when the officials came out to warm up, Mr Tankard was easily recognised, and seemed a good choice for a match with a degree of history. JCFC thought AR2 was Mr King, but would not have risked more than 5p on it. Mr Beresford was completely unrecognised, appearing far more jovial than the grim photo hr once supplied to the Brighouse programme suggested.

As feared, Ossett were well on top in the first quarter. They netted on 7 minutes, but were denied by Mr King's offside flag and continued to press, forcing the Town keeper into an excellent fingertip touch for a corner. Mr Tankard had a firm word with the Ossett number 9, but it was the Brighouse right back who was correctly shown the game's first yellow. Brighouse did begin to put a few moves together, and one great chance went begging as the striker could not quite get the necessary touch. Town were coming up against their perennial problem of small attackers against tall defenders, but as half-time approached, they found a solution - drawing the defender and then dinking the ball over him for a colleague to run onto and power home. There was still time for a pointless foul in no man's land to earn the home number 5 a yellow card.

During the interval JCFC checked the progress of the division's other strugglers - mixed - and then turned to Rate the Ref. At this point it is necessary to lodge a complaint about Mutn3: his excellent post was so enjoyable that JCFC decided to finish the last few lines as the teams kicked off for the second half. Looking up on reaching the end, he found Ossett about to kick off, having conceded a second goal. It was said to be a well-worked move, but as the source of that information was the Brighouse secretary, it should perhaps not be taken as Gospel. Brighouse were now on top, and had a shot tipped for a corner by the diving keeper. JCFC can confirm that the third goal, on 58 minutes, was indeed the result of a decent move. Mr King was on the ball to disallow a Brighouse effort and in the closing stages there were cautions for two Town players for offences in the far corner. As JCFC was heading towards the exit with the intention of making a sharp dash to the bus station across the road at the final whistle, the home keeper looked to dive to save, but he brought down an attacker, conceded a penalty and received a red card, An outfield player donned the gloves, but could not save the spot kick.

Despite the red card and four yellows, it had been a very comfortable afternoon for Mr Tankard, who was always well in control and made things look easy without having to try too hard. There is much to be said for experience! It was an even better afternoon for Brighouse, who secured their place at Step 4 for another season. The dash across to the bus station was successful, thus saving an hour and seeing JCFC home by 18.05

Matlock Tn v Bamber Bridge
NPL Premier Div
Referee: Ashley Royston ( RTR info)
Att: 954

An important game. Could Bamber Bridge secure a home play off? Could Matlock take the last play off spot?

A sticky pitch, and no wonder! Bamber Bridge's insistence on playing out from the back was fraught with risk. Had they not had enough rain to float the Ark in Preston the day before? It certainly wasn't well read, and contributed to Matlock's dominance in the first half.

Now, if you like your meat raw and your vegetables crunchy, Mr Royston is probably not the referee for you. Aside from the game's winning penalty, which caused much mirth in the Twigg Stand, and much consternation from everyone wearing yellow, he really got little wrong.

Mr Royston certainly controlled the game, he certainly applied the law, but those together don't mean I have to warm to a style. That he saw everything, gave everything , in my view it kinda crushed the spirit somewhat. Sometimes to see and not give isn't always a dereliction of duty.

Different times I know, but I wonder what former Panel and NPL referee John Barlow (Ripley), who refereed when dinosaurs roamed, would have made of it. I exaggerate a little (but not much) and say there were more free kicks at Matlock yesterday than John gave in two seasons!

Did Mr Royston referee well? By today's standards (aside from the penalty) very well indeed. Would I want to see him every week? As nice a guy as I'm sure he is, not really!

A sunny evening tempted JCFC to invest £18 to watch

Tuesday 18th April 2023
National League
Halifax Town   1   v   1   Bromley
Scott Jackson; Oliver Noonan, Andrew Daniels. 4thers: Adam Watson

The run-up to the start was enhanced by a previously unheard Halifax anthem, with an almost Germanic feeling. Unlike often in Germany, however, there was no crowd participation; possibly fans considered the refrain
 "And Glory shone around
  On FC Halifax Town"
as ludicrous as it is trite. More probably because there were few fans present at  that point - the bar must have been doing a roaring trade.

Halifax made a great start, the Bromley keeper only just managing to palm the ball away in the first minute, and the visitors began to look as if they would settle for a point. The player retrieving the ball to take a free-kick did so in slow motion and when there was a similar delay over another free-kick, Mr Jackson had a word with a visiting defender (the captain?.) As with the early intervention for dissent when seen at Farsley, it had the desired effect. Whether this is attributable to the power of Mr Jackson's eloquence is uncertain, as Halifax took the lead on 20 minutes, thwarting plan A. Halifax hit the post with a long low shot just after the half hour, but then Bromley fought their way back into the game, having a penalty appeal turned down when two players came together in the box with the attacker finishing on the ground. Two minutes later, Mr Jackson again made an intervention about dissent, calling the visiting number 20 and his skipper. Just before the break there was a curious incident where a challenge by a home defender with a high foot appeared to make no contact - but must have done, as the Bromley number 9 required treatment. Home fans, seeing his late fall, booed him loudly when he was allowed back on. Again, the whistle was blown just as a throw was taken, but this time Mr Jackson escapes reproach (almost) as the throw was very prompt.

The second half saw a different Bromley as they dominated affairs, with an early shot over the bar, and a subsequent one on 55 minutes following a corner which the keeper could only push clear. On 64 minutes a trip to stop an attacker in full flight earned a Town defender a yellow card. It looked as if further punishment had been exacted, as the free-kick led to a pin-ball session in the goal area, the ball ending in the net, only for AR1 to flag for offside. Halifax fans are an impatient bunch - at least those in the naughty boys (old men, actually) rows at the top of the stand are - any sideways pass being greeted with cries of "Get the ball forward," or worse should they have the temerity to pass the ball backwards. On 75 minutes Bromley finally got the equaliser they deserved. Halifax did have one opening from a free-kick, but the attacker's contact only managed to loop the ball gently into the hands of the keeper,who immediately launched an attack, which ended with Bromley  shooting just wide. The final minutes were a little untidy, with a yellow for a Bromley defender, a dodgy throw-in award from AR1 when the ball (on the grass) did not appear to cross the line and a yellow for the Halifax coach in the aftermath.  In the end, both sides were probably quite happy with the draw.

The game as a whole had been problem-free and once again Mr Jackson's interventions had proved well-judged. His manner is not obtrusive, but very effective. He seems to have appeared from nowhere to reach 2A in no time flat, so JCFC has not had the chance to watch him in a tight ground to get a sense of his personality onfield, and never will now, but in both matches he has created a highly favourable impression. There was one error - a throw given to the defender - from the stand it clearly should have been the other way, but from infield the players masked the ball - but it was given confidently and few complaints were made. A style very much to this watcher's liking.

So JCFC was very pleased with Mr Jackson's work, but in the interests of balance, not everyone agreed. As JCFC stood relieving himself of the effects of the pre-match coffee, two gentlemen similarly engaged  declared to each other that they had never seen a referee give nothing all match, but just plough up and down the middle. Pay your money and take your choice!

Just a month ago, an evening fixture between the same two side had drawn a crowd of 672 - nothing by Premier League standards, but unusual at Step 5 of the Non-League Pyramid, so JCFC had invested £4.34 in an e-ticket for

Friday 21st April 2023
NCEFL Cup Semi-Final
Golcar United   0   v   0   Emley
Sam Bragg (Calderdale); Dominic Jackson, Daniel Kilburn.

The ground was already packed 40 minutes before kick-off. Two well-known officials were already ensconced in the stand, with JCFC shamefully failing to recognise one of them. The reasons are possibly threefold: JCFC'S semi-improved eyesight; or Mr Thomas looked to have been on a course of David McNamara's rejuvenating pills; or most of all the woolly hat he was wearing rather than the curious number with dangling plaits, like a Dutch maiden's, that he had worn in the past - not while actually refereeing, it should be made clear. Having squeezed (literally) his frame into one of the few remaining seats, JCFC prepared to enjoy the entertainment.

Mr Bragg had twice attracted attention for excellent work on the line, but had not been seen in the middle. For a referee relatively inexperienced at this level, a local derby semi-final in front of 1320 vociferous supporters is a big match - and presumably an indication of a successful season in the league.

Things got under way promptly enough and Mr Bragg was understandably keen to keep a tight grip on the match, with a number of high-intensity sprints (would he be able to maintain them?) and several free-kicks. Emley started the more impressively, with a succession of dangerous attacks. Mr Bragg's patience was tested somewhat on 10 minutes, when the match ball disappeared into the neighbouring gardens and his call for a replacement was not answered; a Golcar substitute had to be sent back to the changing rooms as the spare balls had been forgotten. Emley had further good chances, but put their shots wide. Mr Bragg called the Emley 5 and the Golcar 11, to calm a little disagreement, but it was not till later that the yellow card was first shown  - to the Golcar number 7, after an advantage call. A good Golcar block completed a half, of which the visitors had had the better, but with nothing to show for it.

There was a tricky decision for Mr Bragg on 52 minutes, as the Emley keeper and a Golcar attacker went for the same ball. He slowed his run, took his time and gave a goal-kick, which from the lack of outrage was probably the correct decision. The second half was proving a much more even affair, with openings at either end and cautions for the home number 11 and the away number 8. The Emley keeper had an uncanny knack of sending every goal-kick, free-kick or simple clearance into touch on his left. He was at fault with a poor punch on 80 minutes, but redeemed himself with a great save in the follow-up. So after 90 minutes the score was 0-0.

JCFC had been happily expecting that the tie would go straight to penalties,but the appearance of a ministering angel bearing drinks for the officials made it clear that there was to be extra time. This would mean that the usual bus would be missed, but the game was entertaining enough for that not to matter too much.

The extra half-hour produced a scrambled clearance at one end and a bad miss at the other, but still no goals. To answer the question raised at the beginning, Mr Bragg's sprinting sensibly became a little slower as time wore on, but throughout he moved well in both sideways and reverse gear, and showed a commendable degree of lateral movement. He succeeded in keeping firm control - and the lack of the usual ferocious complaints from the home technical area can be taken as a sign of a job well done. He did appear rather earnest for most of the match, but did break into a smile once or twice in the later stages. Young Mr Jackson had to run the gauntlet of the noisy home fans and could do little right in their opinion, but like the other officials came through the test well. The refereeing experts present may, of course, have a different, more informed view!

Not wishing to risk missing the last bus - and mindful of the 20-kick saga earlier this season at Gedling to produce a 5-4 win - JCFC left before the kicks were taken. It was a good job too, as Golcar eventually emerged as winners by 13-12, while JCFC was safely on the bus heading into Huddersfield. Golcar will now face Winterton Rangers at Doncaster Rovers on the evening of the 2nd May. Emley will be heading to the same venue later in the month for the final of the S&H FA Cup.

A Cautionary Note

Arriving early for Saturday's fixture, I had a dalliance with an Ossett Blonde. Scarcely had my lips made contact when I found myself toppling backwards and being helped to my feet from the floor. The moral: Don't take liberties with Ossett Blondes - they must pack quite a punch.

Indeed most cautionary. I have had a similar experience with that delightful but feisty Belgian, Stella Artois who has a considerable bite as well as punch.