Ref watch - Darren Middleton

Sorry I'm late. I find it difficult to read the BBS when there's mass overreaction.

Does Darren Middleton stick in the mind?

 

Best referee of the season for me. Waved soft falls away for both teams umpteen times and only blew his whistle when it was completely necessary.

 

Honestly only thing he got wrong that I noticed was a throw in near the east stand.

He seemed to be very keen on us not taking free kicks until he blown his whilste which on a couple of occasions stopped us gaining any advantage. Let their keeper continually time waste so loses a point for that so will give him an 8/10.

 

Excellent display, gave him an 8. Gave them a very soft free kick near the end but other than that can't think of a single error. Always tried to let the game flow by playing advantage but brought it back if it was clear a free kick was a better option. Probably one incident in the first half when he could have let us play on a bit longer but that would be nit-picking.

Still feel Russell's goal should have been allowed to stand but that's the assistant's call.

 

Can’t believe nobody mentioned the inconsistency again with bookings. Earl got booked and rightly so for pulling their player back. Shortly afterwards one of their players did similar near the east Stand side. Foul given no booking. Another 2 incidents spring to mind, one where he played the advantage for a cynical foul, but same move came to an end following yet another cynical foul. No bookings for either. Eventually he did book one of theirs, but it really was yet another case of inconsistent treatment of players. Really boils my piss. Have to say overall, wasn’t too fussy and did try to let the game flow. Given a 5 would’ve been a 7 had he been a little more consistent with bookings

 

He was ok first half, looked so imposing even the players looked in awe of him.
Lost it a bit 2nd half, especially the timewasting.

Timewasting really is spoiling the game for me now. Some teams genuinely look as though they spend more time on timewasting tactics than they do on set pieces.

 

Agree with the above, thought he was excellent first half, lost his way abit second, inconsistent with cards. 7/10.

 

Another 3 score for me based on:

the usual inconsistent interpretation of fouls where Earl gets a booking while at least half of their team didn’t when they should have

completely ignoring their keeper’s blatant time wasting which started from minute ONE! (I know a goal or two from us would have cured that but even so it needs stamping out)

 

Should be some kind of shot clock that starts when a goalkick is given something like they have 20 secs from the decision been given to include retrieving the ball and it being back in play or possession gets turned over to the other team with a throw in from the 18yard line.

 

Me too. Was excellent

 

I thought he was generally very good. Let the game go.

I like that. So I started at an 8/10 score.

I thought he lost control a little second half, didn’t book a couple of their players for fouls he ought to have in my view and never got on top of the time wasting, so a couple knocked off. 6/10.

 

Yes, like they do in rugby union when taking penalty kicks. One weird thing about that though is that the defenders can rush the kicker almost as soon as he makes the slightest leg movement towards the ball. That would be great in football as well with at least two of our forwards rushing the keeper and probably getting the odd charge down, and a goal

 

Gave him 6, fairly anonymous, which is usually an indicator of a decent performance. However, he annoyed the bejabers out of me by (rightly) booking Earl for pulling their player back but ignored an almost identical pull back the other way, merely seconds later.

 

The shot clock is a decent shout.
I would add that from minute 75, the game carries on if there is a player down with the trainer allowed on to treat (again, as per Rugby). That might see a reduction in 'cramp' that seems endimic in the last quarter of the game, and seems to affect players on the winning side more.

 

I'm not sure whether he booked their player near the end, who intentionally batted the ball with his hand, just outside their area.

 

They only charge conversions, you can’t charge a penalty.

The George Ford charge down shouldn’t have been allowed the another week in my view as he hadn’t started his approach to the ball - but still. Good addition to the game to stop time wasting.

 

Pretty good, only gripe would be not clamping down on time wasting but he's hardly alone in that respect. Thought he got most of the fouls right and wasn't over eager to book anyone, sensibly had a weird once or twice. Thought Earl's booking was harsh given others hadn't got one but on the flip side Earl committed another foul within a couple of minutes and could have seen a second yellow and red but was given the benefit of the doubt.

I wouldn't complain if we got him again and he performed like that.

Solid 7

 

exactly-he was on -one was off but not interfering

 

Ok I hadn’t spotted the difference in kicks.

 

Sad to say I thought he was the best ref I have seen all season, still not very good or very consistant though.