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Michael Tutty, who sounded like he was from New Zealand, but it may have been Australia, had driven himsef up from London to officiate in front of a bunch of strangers, with players he had never seen before, on a sandy breezy pitch on top of a hillside in Yorkshire.
Worse still for him he was miked up to an assessor who strode the touchline listening to his every word and making copious nights with which to interrogate and educate his official after the game.
I take my hat off to Mr Tutty and his many colleagues for enduring all of that as well as the odd local looney on the touchline. Saturday's crackpot got his marching orders from Mr Tutty and was forced to sit behind the goal posts like a sinbinned player!
But the result of all this pressure on Mr Tutty, and his much valued colleagues, seems to be that they whistle at the first sign of any infringement and the game is rarely allowed to flow to the enjoyment of the players and the spectators - of whom there were precious few at Abbedydale, despite the sunshine.
I cannot remember the last match where there was not an assessor present and, while one has to congratulate the Referees Societ's for their policy of continual improvement, I cannot help but feel that these games have been far too "stop start" compared with the all too few games which are not being rigourously assessed. After all the game is for the players and spectators.
[NB Before I get taken to task by the Referee's Society these comment are personal, made by someone who is no longer on the Board at West Hartlepool RFC and who is still a member of the National Union of Journalists which supports free speech.}
Anyway on with the game, there was nothing at stake for either West or Sheffield in this end of season encounter at Abbeydale but the sides managed to conjure up a nail biter which could have gone either way.
In the end it was a yellow card given to West skipper Davy Tighe just eight minutes from time which was the decisive moment.
The scores were level on 19 apiece when Tighe cleverly chiipped through as we went for the win. Bulky centre Ryan Amos collected and ducked as he charged at Tighe whose challenge was ruled by Antipodean referee Michael Tutty to be high.
Sheffield took the chance to relieve the pressure and seal the game three minutes later when Greg Edwards was ruled offside on his own 22 and Mark Allatt secured the win with his penalty.
The game had begun with the home side enjoying the benefit of the breeze and the slope on the well sanded hilltop pitch.. West had to make a number of changes because of late cry-offs with Paul Moss starting despite obviously still suffering the effects of an ankle injury suffered against Alnwick.
Chris Young, Paul Williamson and Phil Gilbraith answered late calls to jump on the coach and take their places on the bench.
West managed to stifle the opening burst from the home side and finally managed top get into the opposition’s half on eight minutes when winger Chris Lambert evaded the first two tacklers but was bundled into touch.
Martin Todd then came in off his wing to make two great runs through midfield to set up a strong West drive for the line.But the ball was knocked on at the vital moment.
The visitors kept up the pressure but Sheffield seized on a mistake to take the lead on 20 minutes. Skipper Chris Cox went through a massive gap in the West back line, drew full back Darren Thomas and sent in flanker Andy Kelly under the posts for an easy conversion.
Kicker Mark Allatt had another easy chance in front of the post just minutes later but somehow he managed to send his kick wide of the left upright. He made amends three minutes later, when strong running full back Luke Mason came in the line to send in Aussie winger Darren Link to make it 14-0.
Sheffield were determined to get more points on board as they enjoyed the slope and the wind. They were helped when Tim Sawyer was sent to the sin-bin on 34 minutes after a scuffle at the bottom of a maul.
But it was West who picked their game up. They camped in the home 22 and eventually Mr Tutty lost patience with replacement second row Richard Joel who was also sin-binned for repeatedly coming in a the side.
The home side were rocking and it was Peter Hodgson who took advantage. As the ball was swept along the line the inside centre burst through his tackler and swept aside two others in a 15 metre dash for the line. The limping Paul Moss’s last kick of the half was also his last of the game and unfortunately for West his effort cannoned off the post.
Davy Tighe moved to fly half for the second period within Paul Williamson coming in at scrum half.
West closed the gap even further on 55 minutes after sustained pressure. Darren Thomas, playing his last league game before heading off for Australia for a year, set up the try kicking astutely down the line. The home defenders couldn’t clear and from the maul the ball was spun right for Peter Hodgson to repeat his first half try with a strong burst which took him to the line despite the attentions of two tacklers. Tighe converted to close the gap to 14-12.
His troops were making the most of the conditions and went into a deserved lead on the hour with a sweeping move down the right. Martin Todd broke clear and fed the strong running Paul Rudd. His pass was the knocked-on close to the line with the West supporters appealing for a penalty try.
But justice was done from the scrum with Williamson feeding Tighe who opened a massive gap for himself with a dummy and he went over to set himself up with a simple conversion.
West were looking the likely winners but the normal reliable defence failed on 70 minutes when number 7 Rob Atkinson was allowed to nip through from ten metres. Fortunately for West Allatt again fluffed a simple kick but he redeemed himself with five minutes to go with that match winning penalty.
Sheffield: Luke Mason, Darren Link, Ryan Amos, Chris Cox, Tom King, Mark Allatt, Matte Poste, Chris Coombs, Joe Hutchinson, Ramzay Adamo, Craig Skinner [Richard Joel, 4], Nick Hayes, Andy Kelly, Robert Atkinson, Dave Petrie.
West: Darren Thomas, Martin Todd, Greg Edwards, Peter Hodgson, Chris Lambert, Paul Moss [Paul Williamson 40], Davy Tighe, Anth Carr, Brett Cullinane, Carl Robinson, Paul Rudd, Dave Garside, Dan Boatman, Henry Tones [Phil Gilbraith 65], Tim Sawyer.
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Author: saggy pants kelly
Date: 23-04-06 12:46
Well said Dave, you stand up for free speech and the National Union of Journalists. Your comrades will be very proud.
It is funny when I watched the referee at the Sheffield Rovers game the other week, he was miked up and all that jazz and that did not make him a better referee either!
Two of the best refs I've seen this season have been at Driffield, a v loud guy from Manchester who did Driffield v Rovers and the young kid from London (first ref this season I've seen keep up with play) who did Driffield v West.
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Author: wonderfish
Date: 23-04-06 16:23
I would say the ones I thought were best we're the Durham society guy who did our match at west and also did us when we got thumped at Durham City.
We had a kiwi from London a few weeks back who was good.
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Author: El Pedro
Date: 23-04-06 21:53
back you both up on that one...i thought the ref at driffield for the west game was very good.
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Author: Dave Picken
Date: 24-04-06 11:46
I am not commnenting on the ref's ability or his decisions just the fact that every time we play in Yorkshire we have a London Society Ref who is being assessed. In my humble opinion he is therefore so keen to enforce every law rigorously that we are getting games which are very stop start.
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Author: christheref
Date: 24-04-06 13:47
Dave,
Couldn't hold off any longer. The issue with an advisor present tends only to be an case when the man in the middle feels under pressure. This is usually because he or she is not comfortable at that level of game. It may be that in this case, the referee had been given the game as part of his development. I know that it can be a matter of life or death for a Club's promotion or relegation potential, but I ask this; how can a referee progress, if he isn't exposed at the higher level? Only when he has refereed at the higher grades does he become comfortable, and feel less pressure. The other thing to bear in mind, is that Level 6, N2E, is the highest level that most referes will attain, unless they are invited to the RFU list for 5 and above. Consequently the "best" referees are syphoned off from the Counties to progress up the leagues. Difficult, I know, but I just don't see an alternative. The only suggestion as I see it is the communication between the captains and the referee. A quiet word between them could open up a game, but only if both sides "play the game".
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Author: Dave Picken
Date: 24-04-06 16:30
Thanks Chris... thought you would have a nibble!
Had a chat about all this with some Durham refs at Mowden Park yesterday who explained that there is a long history of London refs going to Yorkshire and Lancs for experience and assessment.
I have no objections to missionary work ...in fact I think it is a great idea and value their contribution.
But it is noticeable that these games are scrappy affairs with little entertaining rugby. The Sheffield lot were cheesed off about it and, when you consider the paying spectator and their sponsors, then you can see why.
It may be of some long term benefit to London rugby, and the game in general, but it shouldn't happen everytime we play in Yorkshire.
Still the after match pie was worth it!
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Author: wonderfish
Date: 24-04-06 17:38
having seen quite a bit of London One rugby I think it's fair to say the northern leagues are of a higher standard; perhaps this means that the referee's society use it as a way of vetting their men for a higher level?
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NEXT FIXTURE
Westoe
VENUE
Away ko 3.00
DATE
October 11th
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