Rate The Ref v Southampton (h) - Steve Bennett

Last updated : 10 February 2004 By Kwacky

Where Paul Durkin succeeded Steve Bennett failed....

More interested in fans watching him striking a pose rather than free flowing football, Bennett halted play wherever possible. On a number of occasions both teams had been at the receiving end of a shrugged off foul retaining possession, only for Bennett to blow up and call a halt to proceedings. Pedantic placements of free kicks and throw ins, blind eyes to shirt tugging and tripping and allowing defenders to use forwards as spring boards meant that for much of the game neither side was really allowed to find a rhythm.

On the plus sides he spotted the elbow on Kenna and there was no argument about the inevitable red card and Blues go yet another game without a booking. The latter is more to do with refs in general being less heavy handed in waving the coloured cards.

Rating 6/10

Fairs league anyone?


You can read Kwacky's Match Report at his Blog by, CLICKING HERE


Match Stats:

Birmingham City 2 Southampton 1
Clemence 16
Kenna 67
Ormerod 6
Starting line-up Sub'd
Taylor
Tebily
Cunningham
Purse
Kenna
Dunn1 (88)
Clemence
Hughes
Johnson
Forssell
Morrison2 (89)
Substitutes Sub'd
Carter
1 (88)
Kirovski
2 (89)
Bennett
Cisse
John
Competition
Barclaycard Premiership
Saturday 10th January 2004
Match Statistics
11Goal Attempts9
5On target6
5Off target3
1Woodwork0
7Corners10
14Fouls23
1Offside1
Cards shown
Delap (18)unsporting behaviour
Prutton (69)serious foul play
Other Information
Referee
Bennett, S ,Kent
Attendance
Starting line-upSub'd
Niemi
Dodd
Svensson
Higginbotham
Hall
Prutton
Svensson
Fernandes1 (71)
Delap2 (85)
Ormerod3 (72)
Beattie
SubstitutesSub'd
Pahars2 (85)
McCann1 (71)
Phillips3 (72)
Kenton
Blayney