Ellesmere Port 2 - 1 Poulton Victoria

Ellesmere Port 2 - 1 Poulton Victoria (3pm)
West Cheshire Football Supply League affiliated to the Cheshire FA

This was my first refereeing appointment of the brand new football season. I must admit, I was a little nervous pre-match as you wonder if you're still a little rusty after the break. However, once the first whistle is blown, the nerves are quickly forgotten and you just get on with the job.

Both sides failed to test the keeper during the first half and it ended 0 -0. There was however a bad tackle by a Poulton Victoria player against an Ellesmere Port player for which I correctly cautioned.

Unfortunately the injured player had suffered a ligament injury to his knee as a result. He was taken away in an ambulance just before the second half had finished. I understand that this player will be out for approximately 8 weeks. I wish him all the best in his recovery.

Poulton Victoria immediately scored in the first minute of the second half and later almost made it two, but the ball struck the crossbar then bounced down without crossing the goal-line. Ellesmere Port then cleared the ball, went down the other end and equalised. Funny old game.

Poulton Victoria then pressed, missing chance after chance. One shot rolled past the post marginally the wrong side, whilst another chance saw a Poulton Victoria player miss from yards out with the keeper beaten. These missed chances were to later cost them.

In the third and last minute of injury time, Ellesmere Port had their first real chance since their equalising goal and they put the ball away. This was less than 30 seconds from time which proved to be the winning goal. Poulton Victoria should have won this game easily, however, Ellesmere Port stole all the points at the very end.

It was nice that someone from the Ellesmere Port club came to me at the end of the match and thanked me for the manner that I dealt with their injured player.


Goals:
46 mins: Poulton Victoria
69 mins: Ellesmere Port
90+3 mins: Ellesmere Port


Cautions:
17 mins: Ellesmere Port (C4: delaying the restart of play)
20 mins: Poulton Victoria (C1: unsporting behaviour: late tackle)
60 mins Poulton Victoria (C2: dissent by word)
90+1 mins Poulton Victoria (C1: unsporting behaviour: late tackle)


Officials:
Referee: Myself.
Assistant Referees: Andrew France and Jose Damiao.


Stats:
First Half: 50:51, 150 HRavg , 173HRmax, 688kcals.
Second Half: 49:45, 158 HRavg , 177HRmax, 734kcals.
Total: 1:40:36, 177 HRmax, 1,422kcals.