Open Age One of those 'why do I bother' games...

[dylan22]

I'm very picky when it comes to pushing in the back on high balls - and I actually quite like having that as an excuse to stamp down some authority early on. However if teams don't get the message and back off or stop disputing the decisions, I'll often pull a player to one side (sometimes the captain, more often just a serial offender) and clarify that if they don't put their hands in the opponents back, there's no way I can give a foul for it. Again, sometimes that will stop them, sometimes they will keep doing it and you can just say "what did I tell you?" - either way, you've then got full justification for a card if complaints still come.

As is often the case with tough matches, it does sound like your problems came down to not escalating fast enough - do you mind me asking what the card counts were by the end? I will escalate "by the book", but if I start to get a sense that they're deliberately sharing the warnings around, I'll skip a few steps with an individual player, or give the captain a rugby-style final warning on behalf of the whole team: next moaning player gets booked, even if it's their first complaint. By the LOTG, you can justify a dissent caution for a single word if appropriate. It might be a touch harsh on the individual player, but he's simply been let down by his team.

as @GraemeS said, what was your final card count?

I'd have been looking to get a player in the book - potentially a few. You say the groups aren't backing off when giving a player a rebuke? Let that happen just the once, and give them the warning - nice big monotonic voice 'Guys, i'll ask you to move away once more - DO NOT make me start taking names!' (then give a little 'Collina'-esque death stare)

just out of interest, when you say 'pushing' ... are they actually pushing though? because I see @GraemeS has said that 'if you don't put your hands on their back I can't give it' ... well, that's not a push? I very rarely give a foul (and don't really ever see a ref give them either when im AR) for a defender just putting their hands on an attackers back? I used to do it all the time, i'm stopping the attacker jumping back and heading me in the face ...a push ONLY becomes a pushing when the forcefully move their hands onto the player to push him off stride etc

I'm not saying that's what you're doing, but maybe you could have been? ultimately causing the home team to feel hard done by and 'reacting out' (which I know isn't your issue) but you know, could solve a few problems?

Thanks for the comments everyone - chaps, in terms of the card count - I had four yellows for the home team, one for a foul, one for kicking the ball away and two for dissent, which again, thinking back, was not in line with should've been given.

I know this is going to sound petty and wimpish, but the moaning/whinging etc. just got to a point where my head dropped, and I couldn't be doing with dealing with the dissent - again, I know that's terrible - which I presume explains why more cards weren't forthcoming. Though it's ironic really, as it just allowed the dissent to continue.

Re. the larger point others have mentioned, it's a fine line between strikers backing in - which they obviously do - and defenders putting 'hands on' to give themselves space, but ultimately when those hands are on and they're all jumping it looks like pushing, or at least it did. Though I will take the point on board concerning the extension of arms being a good way to tell.

Thanks again though, guys. Really appreciated.

 

[ref craig]

If you feel that the dissent cannot be used with stepped approach then caution the player some people go out to thinking that a player has to be managed it's not necessarily true

 

[Charlie Jones]

hey - chin up @dylan22 ... we wasn't all Howard Webbh in our first season ... even @Padfoot believe it or not!!

the main thing is, you know where you feel you are going wrong, so this Sunday correct it? simple stuff mate ...

 

[Sheffields Finest]

The grammar police were on standby but have stood down now!