Attn Jim (Referee yesterday)

[pompeygun]

I had to laugh about the assertion that yesterdays ref made Kevin Friend look like Collina.
Thing is I just think Friend hates Pompey, usually @ least one sending off & a pen given against us. Whereas yesterday I just thought Mr Collins was incompetent & useless.
TBH Sheldrake was also poor v Cambridge & whistle happy.
That bit by the NS was a total farce & one of the worst pieces of reffing I've seen in a long time, not because he got the decision wrong but because he appeared to have forgotten which way the FK should go, how else does he explain trotting back towards the centre circle.
Finally his fitness was appalling, he was blowing out his arse after 20mins. Where do the FL get them from eh?

[Jim]

Haha! Yeah Gun, I might have been a little over-dramatic to make a point there. I know Friend has sent off and given a pen to Sunderland, West Ham and Reading in the past and most of those decisions were dubious too.

Collins yesterday was probably the worst ref we've had since Friend. I'm struggling to think of a worse showing than that. When Atangana clearly took the ball and he blew up I thought someone was going to run on the pitch and chin him! I could see how clean the challenge was from the Fratton End FFS!

[pompeygun]

Tell you what Jim, even from the FE I could see a shirtless bloody big bloke in the NS, he looked like he was going to lump him.
Apparently Collins was given an escort of the pitch.
I'm sure he thoroughly enjoyed his visit yesterday.

[geoffp]

In my opinion (as an assessor), the Referee didn't lose control in the last 10 mins, though some of his actions suggested he was in panic mode, but rather when he did not take positive action for the three early incidents which clearly showed Newport's game plan - free kicks are not enough, when a pattern develops so early.
As somebody once said of a Referee who didn't meet an acceptable standard 'perhaps his second game will be better'
Just as long as we don't try to blame him for us losing the game - our players contributed to us getting the result we deserved.

[pompeygun]

Absolutely, we were poor yesterday. Seemingly unable to break the shackles imposed on us. Sad but if other teams had observers there then we can expect more of the same. Uptp Awfs & co to come up with a solution.