What a relief on Saturday to have a good natured match to ref, even if it was an uneven 8-0 defeat for the home team on a windswept pitch less then 100 yards away from the M20. Larkfield are a friendly club. They must have about 20 boys and men's teams and have always been welcoming, whether it's an under-14s match or reffing the team that plays in the Kent County League.
Bottom of Division One and still searching for their first point of the season, they were unable to get much joy out of opponents who played a crisp and neat passing game. There were a few complaints during the game, but no more than usual, and I was able to persuade some of the complainers to see the lighter side of it all.
I doubt, however, if Robbie Keane saw the bright side of the decision to send him after scoring twice for Spurs on Sunday. His challenge appeared hasty and reckless and deserved a yellow card. But Phil Dowd, after giving himself a few seconds thinking time, decided the challenge was violent and deliberate and sent him off. A day earlier Mario Melchiot got the same treatment from Mike Riley, but this decision was easier as Melchiot leapt two-footed into a challenge that could easily have broken the opponent's leg.
What a shame to see West Ham play such negative football against Chelsea on Saturday. I come from a generation that would pick Upton Park as the most likely spot to witness exciting, flowing football, but the Curbishley era appears to have banished such panache.
2 comments:
It is a shame to see teams play negative football but this a West Ham team who got beat 6-0, 4-0 etc on their travels last year and were only 15 mins away from getting a point at Chelsea which then would've been a decent result. There's no good going gun-ho and getting beat heavily.
I know what you mean but I expect more from the Hammers. It's probably too sentimental of me but ....
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