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Drumchapel Amateurs v Campsie Minerva

2pm  31 May 2014

Central Scottish Amateur League, Premier Division
Drumchapel Amateurs 1 Campsie Minerva 0 (att 32) abandoned after 64 minutes

I've thoroughly enjoyed the football I've seen recently in the Scottish amateur leagues, and I enjoyed the first 64 minutes of this game, before a thin-skinned referee suddenly decided he'd had enough of being barracked for some questionable decisions and brought the encounter to a premature halt.

I've had the misfortune to see a few games abandoned over the years, but never before have I seen a referee simply decide he'd had enough, blow for time and head off to the changing rooms, leaving players and spectators stunned.

After a few moments the players shook hands, the goals were dismantled and everyone trooped off the pitch. I don't know whether the referee still got his match fee, and I'd be interested to know what, if any, discussions he had with the teams afterwards. I had an earlier-than-expected start to my 220-mile drive back home.

What action we did get was entertaining, if fairly low key. The sides, who'd met in the reverse league fixture at Campsie in midweek, were well-matched, with Drumchapel just about deserving their narrow lead courtesy of a first half goal. The home keeper was on good form, denying the visitors several times.

Things started to go wrong after around an hour. Campsie's complaints after a decision went against them resulted in a red card, and their bench was warned for shouting abuse at the referee. A few minutes later, and following another verbal volley after a contested decision, the referee blew for time, with 26 minutes left on my watch.

Drumchapel's Glenhead Park ground was a long-time junior venue, the main reason I chose to visit on a day with few options for new grounds. There's a large covered terrace running along half of one side, beyond which is open terracing, so overgrown it's effectively out of use. There's a similarly overgrown and steep terrace behind the far goal.

The car park, clubhouse and changing rooms are behind the near goal, while there's no access to the side opposite the terrace unless you stand in front of the boundary wall.

On a warm and sunny afternoon,and in a decent football ground, it would have been nice to see a full 90 minutes, although as the game reached half time I'll be counting it as a "tick" by my groundhopping rules.









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