Refs yesterday

[GM-MarkB]

Watch the FLS on iPlayer this morning and just watching Goals on Sunday. Three names are sticking out so far...:

Michael Oliver
Kevin Friend
Andre Marriner

Oh dear, some laughable decisions there Gents. You'd be out of your depth on Cantley Park on a Sunday morning judging on your performances yesterday.

Whatever happened to goold old fashioned honest Refs like Jack Taylor and Clive Thomas  

[Spankster]

Just thought I would mention the refs yesterday at Portsmouth

were very good for a change, got most things right and was not biased to either team.

refreshing change, credit where it's due.

[RoversAlias]

I agree, best officiating in one of our games for a good while. Dealt with everything quite well I thought. Aside from one or two dubious free kick awards but you always get them.

Let's see if that continues for any more games! I somehow doubt it.

[Donnywolf]

... YEP I never used the Knobhead word once

Well spotted Lino when Halford ? attempted that long throw and had his foot a foot in play - unlike Reading this Lino WAS watching - though ironically he missed the ball that seemed to be out by a foot later on when we were under pressure

[The Red Baron]

I rate Marriner and Oliver, although I have to say that Oliver got it terribly wrong over the Holt challenge. He was actually pulling out of the tackle and Oliver was influenced far too much by Harte's (over) reaction.

I don't think Friend is good enough for the top flight, but the worst call in that game was made by the assistant who flagged Harewood offside when he was clearly on.

My answer on referees is always the same: you need people who have played the game at a reasonable level to be able to understand things. Like what is a bad tackle and what isn't. I think one of the reasons why Mark Halsey is such a good ref is because he played up to Conference level. Nowadays we have a drive for young referees and you end up with people taking up reffing in their teens when they should be playing.

[Boycie]

I gather the ref & his assistants missed Utaka slapping Oster across the face just before half time, Seth Bennett and Dave Penny both said he should have walked.

[RoversAlias]

When was that? I don't recall anything of the sort.