One of the Assistants appointed to this game was obliged to withdraw for family reasons and I was asked to replace him. Quite a chilly day and overcast so the lights were needed early on.
I introduced myself to the referee and the assessor on arrival, but due to my garish clothing [Well...It is Crimbo!] they both refused to accept thart I was one of Santa's helpers.
I went outside so I could smoke, sorry, inspect the field of play, and it was only when I reported to the dressing room that the referee realised I was seriously one of his team, and could I take off the stupid Santa hat!
I was warned to be on my best behaviour as we had a CUP GAME to manage and an assessor checking us out. Naturally, under these circumstances, with the referee hoping to make a good impression, 15 minutes warm up was obligatory. I couldn't even have another fag, but boy, for a pensioner I am really out of condition. I was running like a lame tortoise pulling a trailer, and wheezing for England. Hey, What the heck, I'm still fitter than most of the players. They wheeze all the time without a ciggy!.
We got off to a flying start..Everyone said I got the first throw in wrong, and then next thing the referee missed my offside flag. Then, just as I lowered the flag he blew the whistle! We later found that the assessor spotted this slow start at synchronisation. [That means ref and I working together as a unit].
Eleven minutes in and the visitors got the first goal. What had been a fairly sedate sporting game then went into an all action all tackling important match. Obviously, history between the two clans dictates that Kidlington must not be allowed to win a football match at Milton, it is against tribal religion.
Milton attacked and attacked and attacked and then levelled the score after 38 mins. You could feel the tension easing and smiles appearing on players faces as they went in for the half time cuppa.
Milton started the second period, lost posession only for Kidlington to rampage forward and score. What a wake up call! Plenty of time left for the home side to come back again. This made for an extremely exciting second half with both teams giving their all to gain supremacy, but to no avail.
The visitors go through to the next round and effectively ruin Christmas for Milton. C'est la vie.
N.B. I came out of it all smelling of roses with a good mark from the assessor together with an apology for not recognising me at the start!