Rovers v Luton Town- 8/9/18- Tom Nield

[The Red Baron]

Referee: Tom Nield
Assistants: Simon Clayton & Billy Khatib
4o: Peter Wright

[Donnywolf]

I am getting giddy and giving him 1

Let far too much go - and shied away from the really big decisions. He did not spot the assault on Butler by 19 and eventually Carded him probably because the 4th Official marked his Card

We picked up some Cards "stupidly" but if I live to be 100 (another 13 years) I will NEVER see a clearer Card then their 3 pulling back MM as he tried to release the Ball for a quick counter attack

1 Point

[drfchound]

I am getting giddy and giving him 1

Let far too much go - and shied away from the really big decisions. He did not spot the assault on Butler by 19 and eventually Carded him probably because the 4th Official marked his Card

We picked up some Cards "stupidly" but if I live to be 100 (another 13 years) I will NEVER see a clearer Card then their 3 pulling back MM as he tried to release the Ball for a quick counter attack

1 Point

He very obviously wasn’t going to book their 19 for his umpteenth foul until he got the nod from either the linesman or fourth official but I did say at the time that he looked unhappy at doing so.

[Donnywolf]

TRB - we need the Voting "thing" please. I have a One point b-u-r-n-i-n-g a hole in my Pocket - desperate to get out and be assigned to Mr Nield (aka Muppet)

[dknward2]

He started off so well not really getting involved unless he had to and played some good advantages but after he had rightly booked their 19 the gave him a final warning it was downhill for him

[salisburyrover]

I think he was one of the better referee's we've seen at the KM. There were times when he could have cautioned (for both sides) but on the whole, I thought he had a good performance. I think there is a time to say the referee had a decent game and on occasion give a referee and his assistants a positive comment.

[Donnywolf]

I would have to agree with that

He was much better than some of the ones we have had this Season and in the recent past. I tend to take offence with them if they miss something blatant like the pull back of Marosi as he was trying to set up a Counter attack which looking objectively was as clear a Yellow as it could have been

So realistically I would say he was probably the best recently and will move my "vindictive" 1 to a more balanced 3 !

[The Red Baron]

I thought he started really well but eventually let Luton's constant moaning get to him. Good to see a couple of decent linesmen for a change.

[ravenrover]

How he could give a final warning to a player he had already booked is beyond me, surely the yellow was the final warning

[drfchound]

He lacked the bottle to bring out the second yellow, which the 19 had earned.
It must have impacted on the player though because he was virtually unnoticed after that until he was subbed.

[RedJ]

What do we think of the handball shout? I wasn't sure at the time, blatantly hit his hand but wasn't 100% how much distance between the Rovers player and their defender there was to move his hand.

[drfchound]

Defenders tend to get away with things like that when their arms are tucked tight into their bodies.
The defender in question on Saturday had his arm quite a way from his body and was lucky to get away with it.

To be truthful though, Copps should have buried the chance.
As my pal said after the game, if he had been playing a pass to a player in the back of the net he would have found him unerringly but for some strange reason he couldn’t just put the ball in there.

[The Red Baron]

He lacked the bottle to bring out the second yellow, which the 19 had earned.
It must have impacted on the player though because he was virtually unnoticed after that until he was subbed.

I'll give the referee that. He delivered the final warning in such a way that Collins was left in no doubt that he was walking a tightrope. Compare with the way the useless Mr Haines "managed" Portsmouth's No. 9 the other week.

A strict referee would have given Collins a second yellow, but referees these days are told to "manage" games rather than throwing cards about - think back to the World Cup for plenty of examples. Also there was a time when leading with the elbow was seen as the worst type of foul play and would often lead to a straight red card. Nowadays the emphasis is more on dangerous tackles.