RateTheRef

Having decided against an outing to Grantham, deterred by the running track around the pitch, JCFC made the short trip up to Golcar, for what proved to be a day of (minor) disappointments:

Saturday 18th February 2023
NCEFL Premier Division
Golcar United   2   v   Silsden
Lee Kendrick (Suffolk); Peter Binks, Declan O'Regan.

So what were the disappointments? First of all, a pleasant morning gave way to a dismal, mizzly afternoon; secondly, Silsden had arrived without their Ancient Sages to brighten JCFC's afternoon; thirdly, the programme (no mention of officials,as usual) revealed that the Odious Porter had joined them on loan for a month from Liversedge; finally, when the officials came out, there was a surprise - a referee from outwith the area, who is receiving regular appointments, tends to be a young student. Unless Mr Kendrick  is the most mature of mature students, or is completing a protracted PhD, he appeared too old to fit that profile, though not as old, no doubt, as the venerable Mr Binks. JCFC is reminded at this point of a school speech day many decades ago, when the main speaker (Bryan Cowgill of the BBC, if memory serves) made a reference to venerable old gentlemen, which came out as "venereal" causing a degree of barely suppressed mirth.   

The game started slowly, with two extended spells of treatment for a home player in the first few minutes, leading to his eventual substitution. Thereafter there was little excitement in either goal chances or indiscipline - bar one Silsden foul towards half-time, which drew a minor reaction and a yellow card for the offender after a long warning, with his captain invited to the meeting.

A yellow for the Golcar number 2, shortly after the restart, was administered without such formality. A spot of silliness on the hour gave Mr Kendrick the chance to exercise his jaw at length to the two initial participants. Five minutes later Silsden conceded a free-kick on the touchline, the ball ending up (perhaps with a little help) nearer the edge of the area. Mr Kendrick came across and was about to pick it up, when a Silsden player tapped it away, fortunately towards the place where the kick was to be taken, so no card was needed, though home fans thought otherwise. Golcar had the ball in the net on 69 minutes, denied by an offside flag from Mr Binks, who was not called upon to exercise his arm when Golcar repeated the process a minute later. A good Silsden attack was stopped just short of the box, but the free-kick came to nothing and a Route 1 attack gave Golcar a second. There was a further disallowed "score" on 85 minutes - this time it was Mr O'Regan quashing any hopes of a late Silsden comeback.
 
Mr Kendrick did not appear to do anything wrong, maintaining effective control. Given the combination of mizzle and JCFC's decrepitude, however, he often did not appear at all, so it is hard to say what he did particularly well - though he did get Brownie points for keeping his arms decently covered. The first young East Anglian official seen in the Pennines had wowed JCFC - and Jane Simms - but it is doubtful whether Mr Kendrick will follow Tom Nield's trajectory.