NAME

#

TEAM

CODE

Q

OFFENCE

SUSPENDED

No new items this week

Previous weeks

Duncan Palmer

48

Warwick Wolves

FPF

4

Player headbutted an opponent with whom he was still engaged several seconds after the play ended.

25/01/09 v Reading Knights

Note: it is the responsibility of the individual teams to ensure that their suspended players serve their suspensions in the proper game (according to the BAFA Disciplinary Code), and any dates mentioned here are intended only as a guide.

HOME TEAM

REPORT

NEXT HOME GAME

14/12/08

Leeds Celtics

No team area markings. Home team had no game balls, we had to use the away team's balls.

Tony Newsham #302

08/02/09 v Staffordshire Stallions

Essex Blades

Field markings extended 5 yards into the end zone. The top half of one upright was missing (apparently it had been stolen in the week by drunken students). Enough of the upright remained for the goal to be serviceable.

Alan Dobson #308

15/02/09 v Kent Falcons

  Outstanding items from previous weeks

Royal Holloway Bears

This was a Royal Holloway home game played at Portsmouth. There were numerous calls to the medical people on call throughout the game of which at least 2 lasted 5 minutes or more. None were serious enough to have to call an extra ambulance to take anyone away. Fortunately due to the sunshine we were able to play the game without shortening the quarters. Credit to Portsmouth for remarking the pitch again. There were 9 yard marks instead of numbers. Goals were the same as last 3 weeks, too wide and too short. Field surface was good considering it was their 4th game in as many weeks. Crew were not paid.

Colin Willox #539

25/01/09 v Brighton Tsunami

Staffordshire Stallions

The pitch was hard and slightly frozen when we arrived, kick off was delayed until 1-45 awaiting ambulance which was held up at serious road accident. The pitch thawed, but ambulance could not arrive till 2-45. The game had to be cancelled due to insufficient daylight. Staffordshire have now received new padding for the posts.

Charlie Dean Young #258

25/01/09 v Nottingham Outlaws

Reading Knights

Reading had only one cheque for all officials and bafra

Brian Yates #29

08/02/09 v Birmingham Lions

Glasgow Tigers

Crew arrived to be met by the Groundsman who stated that the astroturf pitch was unplayable and he had already called off a soccer match due to take place later in the day. Pitch was frozen solid, waited until shortly after 12pm and reinspected pitch. Some areas had thawed sufficiently to be playable but at least 1/3 of the pitch was still frozen solid and deemed to dangerous to allow the game to go ahead.

Henry Richardson #358

08/02/09 v Stirling Clansmen

Brighton Tsunami

Field markings almost impossible to see until the sun went down (red markings on dark green astroturf). Team areas marked out with cones. Goals affixed to fence around field and had soccer goals in front of them - they were just behind the end line and not padded. Two wires ran across the field at roughly the 30 yard lines, but the ball never touched them in flight. Crew had to wait until 11.45 to get into the changing rooms (locked), they were freezing cold and could not be locked. Start of game delayed until 13.10 while we waited for the ambulance. It was a good close game with few penalties (no majors) so plaudits to the teams.

Dan Bridgland #506

25/01/09 v Royal Holloway Bears

ARU Phantoms

With 6:30 left in first quarter chain crew was changed. The game was suspended at half time for 55 minutes due to an injured player being taken to hospital. Due to fading light the third and fourth quarters were reduced to 12 minute running clock. Plaudits to both teams for a well contested game following the lengthy suspension.

Lee Baker #413

01/02/09 v Essex Blades

U T Cougars

No goal posts. No team areas markings, no nine yard marks numbers 5yrds from sideline. Well done to both teams for what was a great game played in great spirit.

Tony Newsham #302

08/02/09 v Sunderland Spartans

BNU Buccaneers

No team areas or coaching boxes. No access to changing room until 45 mins before kick off. Game abandoned with 1.48 remaining in the 4th quarter following an injury to a BNU player and failing light.

Brian Yates #29

25/01/09 vs Oxford Cavaliers

Kent Falcons

No ambulance or paramedic with sufficient kit and vehicle arrived at the game (apparently a crew were booked and paid for but were not answering their phones). There would have been a kit clash if we played (Kent were in black and Greenwich in dark blue. Kent had a white training kit which they were prepared to lend to Greenwich if the game had gone ahead. Greenwich only have one kit.) Kent did not have 3 legal game balls. Numbers were too small and close to sideline (tops were about 6-7 yards from sideline). Team areas were between the 20 yard lines. No limit lines. Field surface very muddy even before planned kick off time. A lot of people turned up to watch this game (including 3 potential BAFRA members) so it was very unfortunate that there was no ambulance.

Dan Bridgland #506

08/02/09 v Hertfordshire Hurricanes

Cardiff Cobras

Late kick-off (13:45) due to late arrival of ambulance so, with the agreement of both coaches, we played 4 * 12 minute quarters. Plaudits to both teams for a very close game with very few penalties.

Russell Newton #324

08/02/09 v Warwick Wolves

Leicester Longhorns

Field markings faint, NFL hashmarks, only one person for the chain crew, away team had to supply two people for the chain crew. Chain crew did a good job.

Martin Cockerill #345

22/02/09 v Staffordshire Stallions

GCU Roughriders

90 Yard field, no limit lines, no coaching box or team area marked out, no numbers on field, no hash marks at inbounds lines or on sidelines. Chain crew reluctantly supplied after kickoff time. No ball boys supplied.

Officials were not paid, the home team management asked for the names of officials to be forwarded to them to allow cheques to be obtained from their university. Apparently officials names were sent on Thursday evening and the finance dept of the University is closed on a Friday so the team were unable to obtain the cheques. BAFRA admin fee also not paid

Henry Richardson #358

25/01/09 v Northumbria Mustangs

Sunderland Spartans

No 9 yard marks or numbers, NFL Hashmarks, yard lines only every 10 yard lines, no team areas marked, hashmarks unevenly spaced. No Goal posts. No Yardage markers or Pylons. Field Surface was very uneven and in places very boggy. Grass was very long, and unevenly cut. One game ball deflated during 4th quarter and game management was unable to reflate it.
The changing room was a public changing room. Crew were not paid. Invoice was presented to game management before the game. Crew waited for nearly an hour after the game, when a representative from Sunderland was found – the Head Coach and his partner – they informed the crew that game management had "gone". They also said that they needed an invoice to present to the University. They were informed that failure to pay on game day would result in the fee rising by £25 and if they required an invoice before game day then they should contact the BAFRA Director of Finance.
One ball was left with game management during 4th quarter when it became inadequate, the other two balls were left at reception at the sports centre.

Ben Griffiths #228

25/01/09 vs Napier Mavericks

Lancaster Bombers

Game played on an 80 yard pitch with faint blue markings which were hard too see. Field goals were poles attached to fence outside pitch. No coaches area, limit lines or hash marks at sidelines. No pylons, flat cones were used instead. Officials had to wait 15 minutes after the game for the changing rooms to be unlocked.

Ben Griffiths #228

08/02/08 v Sheffield Sabres

Huddersfield Hawks

The game was shortened to 10 minute quarters after a delay due to a lack of padding around the posts. The field markings were dark blue and difficult to see against the green grass. The field was slightly wider than prescribed. Both teams shared one side of the field, as the other would not allow for a team area and coaching box between sideline and team area. The chain crew had to be changed half way through the first quarter because of improper conduct - though game management were very helpful and effective in doing this. The referees' changing area is very small.

Tim Vickers #129

25/01/09 vs Lancaster Bombers

UWE Bullets

Field only 80 yards. No hashmarks. One set of goal posts. No team or coaches areas marked. No numbers on field; numbers on sideline constantly blew over.

Mike LeFevre #341

08/02/09 vs Bristol Barracuda

Southampton Stags

90-yard field, 8-yard end zones, goals attached to fence about 2 yards off the end lines. Game suspended for 6 minutes in the 3rd quarter to treat an injured player.

Alan Dobson #308

01/02/09 v Hertfordshire Hurricanes

Note: it is possible that any game may be cancelled, or any team may arrange additional games. In addition, the large number of game cancellations this week means that the fixtures listed here are highly likely to change. Any dates mentioned here are intended only as a guide.

PLAY OF THE WEEK:

New this week

Play: Free kick on A's 30. With the score tied and one second remaining in the fourth quarter, A4's free kick lands on B's 25 and rolls to B's 15 where B33 recovers and runs to A's 40, where A32 tackles him and is called for an incidental face mask. During B33's run, B54 blocked A64 below the waist on A's 41. Time expires during the down. Ruling?

Ruling?

Last week's play

Play: A's ball free kick on A's 30. A15 kicks, while the kick is in flight returner B24 touches the ball before it rolls into team B's end zone. B24 – worried that a team A player is about to recover the ball – kicks the ball out of the back of the end zone. Ruling?

Ruling: The penalty for B24's illegal kicking foul is enforced from the basic spot, which is the previous spot on a free kick play. Team A shall re-kick from the A45. Note the difference in enforcement between this play and last week's play – post scrimmage kick enforcement is critical!

Date

Event

Contact for details

2008

February 7^th (Sat)

BAFA Board Meeting

president@bafra.org

February 21^st (Sat)

BAFRA board meeting

secretary@bafra.org

April 4^th (Sat)

BAFRA AGM

secretary@bafra.org

April 25^th (Sat)

BAFA Board Meeting

president@bafra.org

May 9^th (Sat)

BAFRA board meeting

secretary@bafra.org

July 18^th (Sat)

BAFA Board Meeting

president@bafra.org

July 25^th (Sat)

BAFRA board meeting

secretary@bafra.org

October 24^th (Sat)

BAFA Board Meeting

president@bafra.org

November 21^st (Sat)

BAFRA board meeting

secretary@bafra.org

BAFRA Directors

President

Jim Briggs

president@bafra.org

General Secretary

Paul Sutton

secretary@bafra.org

Finance

Charles Dean-Young

finance@bafra.org

Operations

Pete Johnson

operations@bafra.org

Recruitment

Ben Griffiths

recruitment@bafra.org

Training

David Parsons

training@bafra.org

Director without Portfolio #1

Dan Bridgland

dwp1@bafra.org

Director without Portfolio #2

Keith Wickham

dwp2@bafra.org

The opinions expressed in this Newsflash are those of the contributors, and not necessarily of BAFRA or its Directors.

All Incident Reports to be submitted via www.bafra.org.

Deadline for articles submitted by email (newsflash@bafra.org) is midnight Tuesday.