Should not be getting protection from the footballing authorities but held more accountable and made to come out and explain decisions, they're paid well enough. Does anyone know if there is an assessor at every game? Also what happens in the way of feedback / training for refs during the days after a game? The inconsistency is shocking, in the second half I timed Josh Lillis at one point taking over 40 seconds to retrieve the ball, get set up and take a goal kick. There was also lots of other time wasting from him, particularly at 0-1 and the ref does nothing. The first time Adam Davies takes his time he's straight in the book as the ref couldn't wait to make an example of him, disgraceful and biased! Also during that goal mouth scramble at the end there seemed to be a clear foul on Davies but nothing given! 99% of the time that is a free kick! Ref must have had a score draw on his coupon!
He stood back as Brown got roughed up by their Goalkeeper, and then McNulty, and as Brown walked back he gave Brown a warning. Marvellous.
Davies booking I have no issue with and I'm surprised he doesn't get booked for time wasting more often. I do have a problem with Josh Lillis getting away with it far more often. To cut down on time wasting it really should be a rule you have to take a goal kick from the side the ball goes out at. Heck they should have a stop clock like tennis does to get on with it quicker. Give keepers no more than 15 seconds to take a goal kick from when they have the ball.
I think Davies may have been booked for dissent tbh, although I can understand him telling the ref what he thought having seen Lillis get away with it until we took the lead.
Referees behave differently in the last 15 minutes of a game. They book and send off. They hurry everyone along. They ignore the way they've managed time up until it gets near the end. It's like a game of football needs to end like an action film.
When a goal kick is ever given to us look at the scoreboard and then see what it says once Davies has taken it. He's known for taking 20 seconds regularly. Near the end Rochdale got a corner, he had the ball and threw it off the pitch behind his goal. He could have got a second yellow for it. No issue with his booking, but Lillis should have had one before him.
