A good match this morning; hardly any disciplinary issues, and I have been impressed by the sportsmanship at this age group this week and last.
Contender for the earliest penalty I have ever given: barely a minute had been played when the away keeper completely misjudged a challenge on the oncoming striker.
One thing did annoy me a bit after the final whistle. In the second minute of stoppage time, with the away team pushing desperately for an equaliser, they played a ball through to a striker 8 yards out. I suspected he was offside and thus looked across to the home CAR. He was in line and clearly flagging, so I blew the whistle even before the player slotted the ball into the net. It wouldn't have been credible for me to overrule it, and he had been very reliable throughout the match. Indeed, he had recommended himself as a referee! It was very much to my surprise, then, when the away manager asked how I had given offside from my position. He explained that the CAR had denied raising the flag. I tried to defend the decision we had made without accusing the CAR of lying, and there weren't too many hard feelings. I also felt the scorer's reaction suggested the call had probably been right. Given that he definitely signalled for offside, isn't it a matter of etiquette to uphold that if asked by a manager etc.?
Contender for the earliest penalty I have ever given: barely a minute had been played when the away keeper completely misjudged a challenge on the oncoming striker.
One thing did annoy me a bit after the final whistle. In the second minute of stoppage time, with the away team pushing desperately for an equaliser, they played a ball through to a striker 8 yards out. I suspected he was offside and thus looked across to the home CAR. He was in line and clearly flagging, so I blew the whistle even before the player slotted the ball into the net. It wouldn't have been credible for me to overrule it, and he had been very reliable throughout the match. Indeed, he had recommended himself as a referee! It was very much to my surprise, then, when the away manager asked how I had given offside from my position. He explained that the CAR had denied raising the flag. I tried to defend the decision we had made without accusing the CAR of lying, and there weren't too many hard feelings. I also felt the scorer's reaction suggested the call had probably been right. Given that he definitely signalled for offside, isn't it a matter of etiquette to uphold that if asked by a manager etc.?