I Was The VAR

Swansea University 2 v Ammanford 1 

Cymru South League (FA Wales Tier 2) 

Friday 13 August 2021 

Ground Tick #372 

Swansea University's Sports Centre ground on Sketty Lane is the 372nd different ground I've watched football on.

In Wales, Tier 1, Cymru Premier is your Cefn Druids and your Connah's Quay Nomads & your The New Saints. This game is the level below that, Tier 2, the Cymru South League.

The fifth game of the season for both teams. Sitting in mid table before tonight. Seventh & eighth (of 16). Both played 4, won 2, lost 2.

The Carrier Bag Firm have a very simple way of grading football Steps & Tiers. Sketty Lane is part of the University complex & is multi use. So, it has a large and well appointed & covered main stand, floodlights, pay table. And, the game was played with proper linesmen. One of whom played a big part in the game (see below). However, the goals were on wheels. That is considered poor by certain factions within the CBF.

A couple of recognisable names in the Ammanford line up. It couldn't be. Could it? Well, obviously it is. Lining up in centre mid was former Blade Leon Britton. No disrespect, but at his age he's reverted to centre circle turntable.

And wearing #10. A slightly chunkier, but now even more many clubbed, Lee Trundle. Indeed, Lee has ruined today's Blog Joke. Which was going to go something like this….

On just 6 minutes, Trundle took an Ammanford free kick on the D. Got good contact, and it sailed into the net. Unfortunately, it was wide & very high. And the net he hit was the Hammer Thrower's net in the shared athletics/football Sketty Lane ground.

But, the bastard has had the last laugh. Because, on 65 minutes, Lee brought the ball down perfectly on his chest. Swivelled like whatever it is that swivels. And hammered a wonder goal into the roof of the net from the edge of the box.

That was actually the equaliser. SUFC for the night had gone ahead on 56. Leon Britton, tracking back, was booked for a foul. And Swansea Uni FC's #16 (American Jean Baptiste Fischer) snuck it past the wall and into the bottom corner. At that point, I thought the alleged students deserved the lead. More of an attacking threat. Recycling the ball and a real danger at corners.

The game went MAD on 86 minutes. When, strangely, I was roped in by people in the crowd as the VAR. Just by chance, I was sitting on a wall. Looking right down the goaline. Past the Hammer Thrower's cage. Chasing the winner, Swansea Uni hit the bar (maybe the fourth time that). Harry Huddart followed up and got something on it. The Ammanford keeper (40 year old Craig Morris) clawed at it & held it high above his head.

My initial reaction from my near perfect VAR vantage was - that's in. I looked over the far side to where the linesman was maybe three yards short of the goaline. He had a good look. Weighed it up a bit. And flagged the goal (remember, correctly in my opinion).

Well. All hell loose as the Ammanfordites all sprinted over to the lino & surrounded him. I've tried to piece together what happened then from the (frankly excellent) Cymru Football App. I've got it as FIVE yellow cards dished out from the melee until the players reached the long walk to the changing block at the end.

Including a second yellow for Brett Enoch. He kicked a fence over on his way to the rooms. And a very, very late yellow for Lee Trundle. Seven Ammanford players booked in total across the game - Enoch twice.

Unfortunately, a number of fans had clearly had their gruntles dis-arranged. As they mooched past me - "was it in?" "did it go over?" "what could you see?"

Looked in to me Mate…...

Attendance announced as 210.

Earlier….

BrewDog Swansea, 19 Wind St, Swansea SA1 1DY

A Brewery Showcase featuring Whiplash Brewery from Dublin. (Plus quite a neat five strong guest list as well).

I shot at;

Whiplash, Body Riddle, Galaxy, Lemondrop, Simcoe & Ekuanot Pale on Keg at 4.5%

Whiplash, Sunshine Underground, Cascade & Lemondrop with some dry zesting, on Keg at 5.4%

I preferred the Body Riddle. These gentle, pillowy pales suiting my buds at the mo'.

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I have now Blogged from 978 games in 2,551 days