Ref Watch ...... Gillingham

[Mick]

Man in charge tonight is Dave Phillips from Chichester in West Sussex, refereeing his sixth Southend match. First was Huddersfield at home three years ago (lost 1-0), second was away ay Yeovil two years ago (lost again, sent off Morrison) and then the same season at home to Swindon (2-2). That last game he did well and was hardly noticed.

His next visit was the match against Bristol City last season, where, once again, he did well and again was hardly noticed despite half a dozen cards. His most recent visit was as a late replacement for last season's home match against Barnet (won 2-1).

This will also be his sixth Gillingham match but his first one away from home.

Older than most of the newer refs (his 4th season), he is a Police Officer in his 40s. A very steady official, although his card count was somewhat high last season with 115 yellows and 7 reds from 34 games. This season he has 13 yellows and 1 red from 5 matches.

Assistants are Matt Foley from London and Phil Knight from Canterbury. Mr Knight works as Chief Executive Officer for the Suffolk FA. Carl Brook from St Leonards in East Sussex will be 4th official.

 

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

Don't normally criticise refs, but last night's was absolutely hopeless for both sides. He couldn't wait to send Bilel off, depsite the fact that he was given no chance at all to get out of the way. the bookings for Hall and Grant were incredibly harsh, especially when he didn't book their guy for pulling Hall back when he was breaking away. He twice let himself be overruled by his assistants when he himself was far better placed to make the decision. He also gave us a goal-kick towards the end when it was blatant corner, and he didn't have a clue, and was hoping the assistant on the far side would bail him out.

 

[Onion_Bag_Dave]

He was a complete disgrace. Gave decisions both ways just as poorly. Pathetic!

 

[Mick]

I thought he had the proverbial "game of two halves". He was good in the first half but seemed to lose it in a big way in the second half.

 

[Onion_Bag_Dave]

I thought he had the proverbial "game of two halves". He was good in the first half but seemed to lose it in a big way in the second half.

He went unnoticed in the first half! But still made some weird decisions. The second was completely in consistent!

 

[Somerset Ex-TTB]

One of the worst ref's I have seen for a long time. Got so many decisions wrong, dished out a couple of unecessary yellows early on, giving him little option later in the game, especially with the crowd on his back saying if "x" tackle was a yellow, why isn't "y" tackle a yellow also.

What was all that about with Gillingham taking throws 20 yards further back and then giving the throw to us? Mick, I don't know if you could correct me if I am wrong, but I always thought that you could take a throw from anywhere behind where the ball went out? Also, is he not supposed to give the throwing team a warning before giving the throw the other way?

(Not that I cared, as both were in our favour) :winking:

 

[Mick]

What was all that about with Gillingham taking throws 20 yards further back and then giving the throw to us? Mick, I don't know if you could correct me if I am wrong, but I always thought that you could take a throw from anywhere behind where the ball went out? Also, is he not supposed to give the throwing team a warning before giving the throw the other way?

You're wrong ! The throw in must be taken from the point where it went out of play. A sensible referee will only make such an award if the offending team is seeking to gain an advantage by taking the throw in the wrong place. So technically correct, albeit a little pedantic. A warning is not necessary, but again it wouldn't hurt to give one. By this time he had lost all rapport with the players anyway.

 

[fbm]

It really was like 2 different refs - one for each half.

In the first half he gave very, very little and let the game flow as much as possible. It was almost as if a higher authority told him that he was letting too much go (does that happen, Mick?) and so he decided to clamp down a bit. In the first 2 mins of the second half there were 3 innocuous challenges and nudges that he would have let pass in the first half but which he then blew up for.

In was all downhill after that with some laughable decisions for both sides. When the home crowd gets awarded a free kick in their favour and still chants "You don't know what you're doing" at the ref then that really is something...

 

[Somerset Ex-TTB]

You're wrong ! The throw in must be taken from the point where it went out of play. A sensible referee will only make such an award if the offending team is seeking to gain an advantage by taking the throw in the wrong place. So technically correct, albeit a little pedantic. A warning is not necessary, but again it wouldn't hurt to give one. By this time he had lost all rapport with the players anyway.

OK fair enough, but its just using common sense surely!

 

[Fiftyone]

I thought he had the proverbial "game of two halves". He was good in the first half but seemed to lose it in a big way in the second half.

I assume that there was an assessor at the game, if so, what sort of feedback do you think he will have given to the referee after the game and what sort of report will he have submitted to the FL and what action, if any, will they take?.

 

[jarvisyeh]

I assume that there was an assessor at the game, if so, what sort of feedback do you think he will have given to the referee after the game and what sort of report will he have submitted to the FL and what action, if any, will they take?.

I'm hoping both clubs can report this ref to someone... as I feel on that performance he should never referee a league game again!

 

[Cockle43]

What was all that about with Gillingham taking throws 20 yards further back and then giving the throw to us? Mick, I don't know if you could correct me if I am wrong, but I always thought that you could take a throw from anywhere behind where the ball went out? Also, is he not supposed to give the throwing team a warning before giving the throw the other way?

(Not that I cared, as both were in our favour) :winking:

Not 100% sure about where it has to be taken but I thought he'd given it as a foul throw because the Gills player looked to me as if he had one foot on the pitch when he took it, not that the lino gave it; but then again the linos and the ref seemed to have different opinions about quite a bit last night.......

Don't normally like to criticise refs because I know 'it is not an easy job' and 'without them we wouldn't have a game' but last night's display was pretty incompetent; poor decision making, over ruling linos when they were better positioned, not making a decision when better placed and looking to a lino 20 yards away to make it for him and then just a total lack of consistency - tackles and challenges which were let go one minute were getting bookings the next.

God, not only is the football pants in this division the officials aren't much better......

 

[Maldon Blues]

Something that bugs me is how professional footballers are basically allowed to swear at Officials as much as they like and the Officials just turning a blind eye. At grassroots/park/Sunday morning level one wrong word and you're off.

I heard that clogger Kedwell call the Assistant an effing c u next Tuesday right in front of his face and right infront of the family area. It shouldn't be tolerated.

I often shout at the Officials from the stand myself, don't get me wrong, but I actually never swear.

 

[OldBlueLady]

I just hope he's a better Police Officer than he is a ref or the police force is in deep doodah!

 

[sufc_tom]

Halls yellow was terrible. Didn't even touch keeper, slide in legally for the free ball and what makes it worse the keeper was not bothered at all about the 'tackle'

 

[Mick]

I heard that clogger Kedwell call the Assistant an effing c u next Tuesday right in front of his face and right infront of the family area. It shouldn't be tolerated.

Drop him an email and ask him why he tolerated it. phil.knight@suffolkfa.com

 

[Mick]

I assume that there was an assessor at the game, if so, what sort of feedback do you think he will have given to the referee after the game and what sort of report will he have submitted to the FL and what action, if any, will they take?.

There would have been an assessor. The feedback would probably be slightly mixed with a fair bit of emphasis on the things he did well. His playing of advantage was excellent, as good as any I've seen for a while. His general control and decision making was sound in the first half. He made no "match defining errors", so his mark will not be particularly poor, if indeed it is poor at all. He will be assessed on the whole match, some good, some (very) poor. Contrary to some suggestions, he did not "have it in" for Mohsni. He gave him plenty of leeway, especially in the first half but eventually ran out of patience and the inevitable happened. Sturrock's decsion to leave him on after the yellow was as bad a decision as any that the referee made all evening. Woeful awareness on his part.

His teamwork with his assistants has been criticised. Someone criticised him for allowing himself to be overuled by an assistant, someone else for overuling his assistants; you can't have it both ways. Without knowing the dialogue that went on it's difficult to know who to blame. I'd rather see referees who allow their assistants to make their own calls and sort out any little differences than those referees who tell the linos to wait and go with them the whole time.

 

[Mick]

Halls yellow was terrible. Didn't even touch keeper, slide in legally for the free ball and what makes it worse the keeper was not bothered at all about the 'tackle'

There was contact but nothing dangerous or malicious. If he'd just waited a second or two and gauged player reaction, he'd have realised that a card wasn't necessary.

 

[Mick]

I'm hoping both clubs can report this ref to someone... as I feel on that performance he should never referee a league game again!

If you applied that criteria to players, most of our squad would have been forced into retirement years ago.

 

[Fiftyone]

So to sum up your posts 17 & 18 he will be told he did a good job and carry on in the same way in future.

No wonder referees, on the whole, are so poor.:thumbdown: