RateTheRef

4. Daniel
22. Revelation

Interested to see an interview with Rob Edwards who says that the two managers were asked by the 4th official whether they wanted any time added on at the end of the Luton v Man City match. With Man City winning 6-2, they agreed to end it at 90 minutes which Anthony Taylor then did. There have been a few comments about the lack of added time in FA Cup matches so wonder if this is a common occurrence.

Milton Keynes Dons FC (First Team) v Accrington Stanley FC (First Team)
Football League 2   
Referee: Bourne, Declan
Assistant Referee: Finch, Stephen
Assistant Referee: Head, Ryan
Fourth Official: Farmer, Aaron

I have deliberately waited until Monday to post this hoping that I can be more objective than I would have been on Saturday evening. The first thing to say is that Mr Bourne got the major decisions correct (including wearing blue when another bright colour would have been an option) and was not responsible for the outcome of the match. I know that Stanley have had a reputation for being masters of the dark arts. Whether deserved or undeserved, I do not think that applicable to the current young team who are guilty of naivety if anything, which may have led to the foul count being 25-7 and 6 yellow cards to one. All I can say is that it just didn't feel right and that whenever two opposing players came into a tackle you knew that the outcome was going to be a free kick to MK. On at least 4 occasions I would have given the free kick the other way. In terms of the yellow cards I have no problem with 3 of them for Stanley or the one which MK received but 2 of the others were for what appeared to be fairly inoccuous tackles in midfield. One could have been for persistent infringement although there was no indication of this whilst the other was a recently introduced sub's first tackle. Maybe if I could watch the match again closer to the action I might have a different view. The big talking point came on 90 minutes when the Stanley winger got past the MK full back with clear space ahead of him and was pulled down. Mr Bourne was 20 or 30 yards away and ran across pulling the yellow card out of his pocket for what everyone assumed would be a yellow card for the full back. Instead, he booked the Stanley player. It can't have been for dissent from that distance so something must have happened that I didn't see. My initial thought was diving but the free kick was awarded. The MK full back was never spoken to for what I considered the clearest yellow card of the match.

One further point. A player goes down with a serious leg injury on the half way line on the edge of the centre circle on the opposite side of the pitch to the tunnel. He clearly can't continue and a substitution is made but whilst all other substitutuions are made with the players leaving the pitch at the tunnel entrance, the injured player is made to leave the pitch at the nearest point and limp all the way round it to get back to the dressing room and treatment. Just seemed cruel!

Not the greatest game being far too stop start for a match that could nowhere near be described as dirty. I hope it was an off day for Mr Bourne but I'd be quite pleased not to encounter him again for a while.

My first experience of seeing Gavin Ward (at Farnborough c. 2006) led to one of the most amusing incidents I've seen at a football match where a spectator, incensed by the failure to give a penalty, rushed to the front of the terraces and aimed a stream of expletive laden invective at Mr Ward. Having done so, he turned round and in perfect received pronunciation, announced quite loudly to the crowd, "I do apologise, that was totally out of character." I can't remember whether I thought the penalty should have been awarded or not.

If it's West Brom v Wolves I could see the police asking for a lunchtime kick off.

7. Fisher

After the disallowed goal on the stroke of half time at Wimbledon, Accrington Stanley never had to enjoy the delights of Trevor Kettle in the middle again although he did make a couple of appearances with the numbers boards. As far as I'm aware no request was made not to have him again although I suspect any number of clubs may have made similar requests. It just appeared that the appointing powers thought it was a sensible move to make.