The key feature and talking points of what had been a good game was the interventions on far too many occasions by Referee Jerzy Banasik who simple failed to control the game that lead to frustrations in both camps.

Proceedings started with a fierce and high tempo to the game with no quarters given. Bottesford had three free kicks out of the many awarded to both side around the 18 yard box in the first 15 minutes. The last causing the most problems when Johnson's looping header was helped on to the bar by Sheppard before being cleared after a bit of a scramble. Teversal looked a threat on the break, but the footballing key feature was the solid defending by both sides.

The first open chance came on 26 minutes when Martin Pembleton managed to get onto Nichols through ball but Sheppard was equally alert and quick off his line and blocked the striker’s effort with his legs after making himself big.

Teversal wasn’t to be outdone and a patient passing move down the left by the visitors saw Atkins pull back to Dickinson whose slide rule pass picked out Sargent’s run to fire an effort from 20 yards that had Herrick scurrying across his goal as the effort went marginally wide at the angle of the bar and post. The closest a goal came in the first half was when Teversal’s Moody made a timely challenge that denied Martin Pembleton a chance, but the tackle saw the ball going goal-wards and fortunately clipping the outside of the post for a corner.

Arguable the most direct approach in added on time saw Danny Boulton breaking clear from a long punt up the park by Ridley that caught the Tevie defence square, but again Sheppard was alert to close the onrushing striker making himself big to make another impressive save.

The home side frustrations at such an inept Referee performance over spilled on the half time whistle when the Bottesford Captain Lee Ridley and striker Martin Pembleton sharing their views with the Referee who in turn showed Pembleton a yellow card, even though Ridley who had been the main antagonise using industrial language for all to hear managed to walk away without action.
It was clear whatever the Bottesford two said, it had no impact on the Match Official who continued to spoil the game by failing to manage the strongly contested game with the stop start being a detriment to the game. However you could feel the pressure lift from Birch Park when on 63 minutes Bottesford took the lead when Robinson took a quick throw in to find Wayne Graves who turned and saw his deflected effort from 18 yards hit the inside of the post before trickling over the line to take the lead.

On 68 minutes Bottesford made a clever substitution when they replaced Danny Boulton with Jonathan O`Callahan, clever because the striker’s frustration of the Referee’s performance was clear to see apart from by the Referee himself, so the Bottesford Management didn’t take the risk of their striker getting a second yellow card and removed him before the Referee realised the error of his ways. Two minutes later the Polish ring master took on a new level when Barwick slid to put the ball out for a Teversal throw in, Newton went to take it quickly and Barwick dived on the ball, the Teversal player pulled the ball of the Bottesford playmaker who was delaying the restart of the game, outcome a caution for Newton. Clearly the Polish rule book has a different rule to that of the English when “delaying the restart of the game” is the cautionable offence, not taking a quick throw in.

The game went further away from the visitors in the 76th minute when Bottesford doubled their lead when Moody mistimed a long punt that bounced over the teenager, O`Callahan laid the ball to veteran Graves who rolled an inch perfect ball at pace that neutralised Sheppard and across the six yard box to Josh Nichol to tap home. It was harsh on teenager Moody with this being a rare error of judgement by the young prospect.

The final word obviously had to be with Mr Banasik who had been receiving industrial language at him for his totally unacceptable performance all afternoon, but in added on time he awarded a contested throw in to Bottesford, Newton made the comment “he’s had you pants down there Ref” and received his second yellow card. The Referee stated after he felt abused by that, clearly a breakdown in communication and error that player will pay the price for.

On the final whistle clearly Bottesford happy with the three points that keeps their automatic promotion hopes alive, whilst Teversal dreams of making the FA Cup next season may be drifting away with a minimum of 13 points from 6 remaining games to stand any chance of entering the world famous tournament. The unfortunate thing about this game was the fact the Referee’s performance was the talking point and not what had been a good competitive football match.

Next up for Teversal is a home game on Saturday 26th March 2016 when Glasshoughton Welfare are the visitors to Carnarvon Street with a 3:00pm kick off. That is followed by a trip to Grimsby Borough on Monday 28th March 2016 also with a 3:00pm kick off with both games in the Toolstation Northern Counties East League Division One.

BOTTESFORD TOWN; Leigh Herrick, Jason Pembleton (Ryan Short 28), Danny Gibbons (Tom Spall 59), Lee Ribley, Tom Johnson, Terry Barwick, Matthew Steeper, Josh Nichol, Danny Boulton (Jonathan O`Callahan 68), Martin Pembleton, Wayne Graves. Subs Not Used; Conner Purdue, Luke.Robinson.

TEVERSAL; Dale Sheppard, Kyle Hempshall (Craig Newton 45), Paul Staniforth (Craig Burton 84), Jason Gregory, Luke Fisher, Khyle Sargent, Tom Moody, Sean Dickinson, Jason Dawson (Macaulay Short 72), Lewis Weaver, Gary Atkins. Subs Not Used; Dean Short, Craig Charlesworth.

REFEREE; Jerzy Banasik (Lincolnshire) ATTENDANCE; 44

MAN OF MATCH; Bottesford Town: Josh Nichol Teversal: Luke Fisher

YELLOW CARDS; Bottesford Town: Danny Boulton, Martin Pembleton. Teversal: Gary Atkins

RED CARDS; Bottesford Town: None Teversal: Craig Newton