Essex Referees Enjoy Irish Exchange
At around 5:00am on Saturday 11th October, five Essex County FA referees gathered at SELEX Sports & Leisure Club for their journey to Stansted and onw
To see some of the photos from their trip, visit www.facebook.com/EssexFootball.
Headed by Basildon Level 4, Paul Waller, the three-man team was completed by Ricky Judd (Thurrock) and Ryan Fox (Hadleigh), and they were accompanied by Graham Horsler (Thurrock) and Chris Lee (Basildon) as respective representatives of the Thurrock and Basildon Referee Societies, who provided the funding for the trip.
With international clearance having been arranged by James Lisher at the Essex County FA, a flight then a brief car journey to Lurgan saw the group meet-up with host Rory Campbell (Mid Ulster). They were later joined by former Essex referee Gareth Eakin, now a FIFA Assistant, and Lee Tavinder, the Irish FA’s Referee Development Officer and an English ex-pat.
Dollingstown spent most of the 1990s languishing in the lower divisions of the Mid Ulster Leagues before the arrival of benefactor Hubert Watson, a local businessman who wanted to see Dollingstown firmly on the Irish footballing map! Hubert has bankrolled their climb through the leagues and improved Planters Park, a fantastic and quaint stadium wedged between farmers’ fields and surrounded by sheep and cattle.
Introductions, team sheets and a warm-up complete, Paul and his team led the players into the sunshine and Rory sat, pen poised, to assess their joint efforts under the UEFA Convention adopted by the IFA. The first half was a cagey affair, with the away team showing most of the promise and missing a clear opportunity on the stroke of half time as it remained 0-0.
With incident few and far between, Paul and his team maintained a low profile, which proved effective, and all seemed well as they left the field for a well-earned drink. The second half was a different story. Keen to get on top, Dollingstown came out with renewed vigour and, flying in the face of the first half’s performance, they dominated the early exchanges. Around the 60th minute they snatched the lead with a well taken strike from the left.
The temperature was literally rising as the game continued and the visitors pushed hard for an equalizer, with wave after wave of attacks beginning to put pressure on the Dollingstown defence. They held out heroically but, on 81 minutes, their luck ran out and Limavady duly equalized immediately.
Both teams resisted the temptation to sit back and the final ten minutes were fast and furious, with chances at each end as both teams pushed for a winner which never came. All three match officials stepped up their game as the match developed and it added to a fast-flowing and physical second half punctuated by three cautions, all well-deserved and well administered.
The final whistle was greeted with handshakes all round as both teams congratulated each other and the visiting match officials for a job well done. Rory Campbell delivered his post-match de-brief and, to the sound of good wishes and congratulatory comments from officials of both clubs, the team headed off for dinner in Hillsborough close to the Queen’s official residence on the edge of Belfast.
The posse were joined at dinner by Raymond Allen (Chairman, Mid Ulster RA) and re-joined by Gareth Eakin. Following a fine meal, Raymond made a brief presentation and everyone received a Mid Ulster tie, which was received with thanks. Later on, Horsler briefly met David Malcolm (NIFL Referees Officer) and Sharon Moore (NIFL Executive). Sunday started with a stroll around the city, brunch, then a bus tour.
If you’d like to know more about becoming a referee, contact James Lisher via (01245) 393097 or james.lisher@essexfa.com. Information is also shared on Twitter @EssexCountyFA and by searching for ‘EssexFootball’ on Facebook.
Headed by Basildon Level 4, Paul Waller, the three-man team was completed by Ricky Judd (Thurrock) and Ryan Fox (Hadleigh), and they were accompanied by Graham Horsler (Thurrock) and Chris Lee (Basildon) as respective representatives of the Thurrock and Basildon Referee Societies, who provided the funding for the trip.
With international clearance having been arranged by James Lisher at the Essex County FA, a flight then a brief car journey to Lurgan saw the group meet-up with host Rory Campbell (Mid Ulster). They were later joined by former Essex referee Gareth Eakin, now a FIFA Assistant, and Lee Tavinder, the Irish FA’s Referee Development Officer and an English ex-pat.
Dollingstown spent most of the 1990s languishing in the lower divisions of the Mid Ulster Leagues before the arrival of benefactor Hubert Watson, a local businessman who wanted to see Dollingstown firmly on the Irish footballing map! Hubert has bankrolled their climb through the leagues and improved Planters Park, a fantastic and quaint stadium wedged between farmers’ fields and surrounded by sheep and cattle.
Introductions, team sheets and a warm-up complete, Paul and his team led the players into the sunshine and Rory sat, pen poised, to assess their joint efforts under the UEFA Convention adopted by the IFA. The first half was a cagey affair, with the away team showing most of the promise and missing a clear opportunity on the stroke of half time as it remained 0-0.
With incident few and far between, Paul and his team maintained a low profile, which proved effective, and all seemed well as they left the field for a well-earned drink. The second half was a different story. Keen to get on top, Dollingstown came out with renewed vigour and, flying in the face of the first half’s performance, they dominated the early exchanges. Around the 60th minute they snatched the lead with a well taken strike from the left.
The temperature was literally rising as the game continued and the visitors pushed hard for an equalizer, with wave after wave of attacks beginning to put pressure on the Dollingstown defence. They held out heroically but, on 81 minutes, their luck ran out and Limavady duly equalized immediately.
Both teams resisted the temptation to sit back and the final ten minutes were fast and furious, with chances at each end as both teams pushed for a winner which never came. All three match officials stepped up their game as the match developed and it added to a fast-flowing and physical second half punctuated by three cautions, all well-deserved and well administered.
The final whistle was greeted with handshakes all round as both teams congratulated each other and the visiting match officials for a job well done. Rory Campbell delivered his post-match de-brief and, to the sound of good wishes and congratulatory comments from officials of both clubs, the team headed off for dinner in Hillsborough close to the Queen’s official residence on the edge of Belfast.
The posse were joined at dinner by Raymond Allen (Chairman, Mid Ulster RA) and re-joined by Gareth Eakin. Following a fine meal, Raymond made a brief presentation and everyone received a Mid Ulster tie, which was received with thanks. Later on, Horsler briefly met David Malcolm (NIFL Referees Officer) and Sharon Moore (NIFL Executive). Sunday started with a stroll around the city, brunch, then a bus tour.
If you’d like to know more about becoming a referee, contact James Lisher via (01245) 393097 or james.lisher@essexfa.com. Information is also shared on Twitter @EssexCountyFA and by searching for ‘EssexFootball’ on Facebook.
