Just got to say that he really was one clueless tit as were both his assistants. I appreciate it's a really tough job but he couldn't get even the basics right. I'm also fairly sure Fryatt was onside when he was put through one on one in the first half.
He was an absolute blithering idiot, just glad there were no major decisions for him to bollocks up and cost us the game. To be fair Fryatt looked quite a bit offside to me in the south stand, but I'm not at the side so can't judge properly unless it's in the 3rd of the pitch right in front of me.
I was directly in line and my first thought was he'd timed his run to perfection. My mate said I needed glasses as he was at least a yard off.
The things that really annoyed me were: 1) The ridiculous free kick situation in the first half with Stewart. He was fouled as he went round the defender, the ref bizarrely gave a free kick even though Stewart was on his way, Cam tried to take a quick free kick and spared the ref's blushes and he actually made a point of putting his hand on the ball dead on the floor before he took it quickly, then the ref stops it again to say the ball was moving which was nothing short of a lie. It was as if he was deliberately trying to just be awkward. The thing is it seemed to be a theme of his, he blew for a free kick for offside in our 6 yard box when the ball was already in Mannone's hands and did a similar one to them in the second half. 2) The throw in in the first half in front of the West stand when Brady blatantly kicked it against their player and both the ref and lino managed to miss the 180 degree deflection. It didn't matter, but it was preposterous that they didn't see it. 3) Early in the first half the lino gave a free kick against Hobbs which was correct because he deliberately came across to play Mackail-Smith rather than the ball, but minutes later their player did the exact same thing in the box to Rosenior. The difference? It was in the box, and you can't give anything in the box.
All the officials were ****e last night, particularly in the first half. The lino in front of the east stand didn't point his flag at a single throw in until the ref had pointed which direction it was and the lino in front of the west gave at least half the throws the wrong way. The whole farce after Stewart caught the ball as it went out of play was ridiculous too.
I also thought he looked onside. Doubt there will be any decent tv angles to get a definitive answer. He would probably have just ran it into the 'keepers hands anyway so it wouldn't have mattered.
I was really annoyed when he kept pacing out free kicks for Brighton, but seem to allow the 10 yard gap to fizzle to 6 or 7 yards for us! Complete Idiot. The linesman did get the offside call for Fryatt right though (sorry NFUNo1). About the only thing he did get right!
Tbh the ball wasn't out of play when Stewart delibarately handballed it letter of the law says its a yellow, so though the ref did well not to book him and used his common sense. About the only part of it, as it was so inconsistent. Jack Hobbs had a foul against him for blocking someone so surely every blocking off from then on is a foul? Well not according to him. Just so inconsitent with every aspect of his game.
