Do you ever get the feeling that its not going to be your day. Saturday proved to be a bit odd in the build up and I had this feeling that it really wasn’t going to be a good day at the office. Â
Barrow needed to win to have any realistic chance of catch Kirby Muxloe. Althoughthey were only 2 points behind, Kirby had a game in hand.  Barrow would have to beat Bardon.  I was hoping for a good game and one that would require me getting involved.  However as I mentioned things didn’t get off to the best start.
One of my assistants arrived late which always puts you on the back foot and isnt the best preparation. I started my pre match and in walked the assessor. I hadnt received any call to say one was coming and he was a bit late, but i though never mind lets get on with it. I said that it was perfect timing as i was just starting the pre match if he wanted to listen. To which I got no response and he just started talking. He then asked us what our views on assessors coming in before the game and after was. He didnt think it was a good idea and set about telling us why. He then advised us what was wrong in the marking system.    While I dont mind having a discussion if you dont think its good to come in before hand, dont take my time up when I dont have long to get everything ready!!!
He eventualy left the changing room at 2.45 despite lots of hints.  I then had to rush the pre-match, of which luckily we had all worked together before and they were expeinced officials.  Rush in a warm up to get he ankle warm and some how we kicked off on time.
The first half flew by, Bardon had taken a 1-0 lead early on with an excllent run by the Bardon forward. What was quite funny the Bardon captain all the time during the run was shouting for him to lay it off. However he kept going and going and going. When he scored I said to the captain I still think he should have laid it off, dont you. To which i got a smile so i though we may be in for some conversation today.  20 minutes or so had gone when I had to issue the first caution.
Barrow had made a sub early on (can only guess injury) and the player who came on caught the Bardon skipper with a rubbish challenge.  I struck me as an Orange and his reaction and the others players reaction kept it to a yellow. While you dont go on player reaction you can get a confirmation of how bad the challenges are at times.  No one was shouting for a card and everyone was happy with a caution. The only thing the player said was “I havent played for 6 weeks”…….I told him it showed.
During the first half the Bardon keeper’s momentum took him out of the area with the ball in his hands. He was right on the right of the area as you look at it, and my assistant came in with a superb flag (and not for the only time today).  I had a couple of people as shouldnt it be a red as he was last man.  I explained that this wasnt the case and also that the keeper had the ball in his hands when he went out the area.
The 2nd half started at Bardon took the score to 2-0. Barrow were trying everything to get back in the game but werent getting there.   Bardon get catching them on the break and one of these breaks lead to an incident that just got me wanting to smack my head and say….oh for crying out loud.
Striker runs through on goal, defender trips him with only the keeper to beat inside the penalty area. Last Man, off he goes.  Does this seem familiar. Should do thats 3 in the last 3 Middles!!!! Is that some kind of weird record.  There was a question if it was outside the area but I thought it was in and this was confirmed by an excellent flag for the 2nd time today.
Barrow were trying everything and some how managed to pull it back to 2-2 and were still pushing when the final whistle went. Looking back I could have managed the final whistle better. Assistant flags for offside, and I blew up for the final whistle. I should really have left them take the kick, and get rid of the ball from that area. However I didnt the Barrow attacker made a comment to my assistant and I moved in to the area to move him away and he went. Â
What I didnt know was Mr Assessor was stood behind him and he felt we should have dismissed him. I said that I cant disagree with his view as he is right in law, but I felt considering the factors (leagues gone, frustration) it was a one off comment and he went away. If he had made further comments id have dealt with it. He then drew some random comparison to Roy Kean and Mick McCarthy!  I knew what he meant but dont think he saw it from my point of view.  He also felt that I had been to wide but said that it hadnt caused me a problem or left me stranded!!
I was really pleased with my performance and the assessor left me feeling flat. I felt there was a lot of positives and he said we had all had a good performance until the last minute.  However he never focused on any of these incidents during the post match debrief. Im going to be interested to see what the assesment is like.  Luckily I had a County Assessor on the line and we had a chat after the game and he told me what he would expect me to be getting on the performance…..however we will have to wait and see.
