I have just watched a game of football in what one can only call character building conditions.

My son turned out this afternoon for his usual Sunday afternoon shenanigans but in just about the bleakest conditions I have had to stand in for many a year.

The sky was at least clear but that was only because the wind had blown all the clouds into the middle of next week! It was what the locals hereabouts describe as a "lazy wind". It can't be bothered to go around you it just goes straight through you. I had prepared for this somewhat by wearing some layers and a rain coat to eliminate the wind but I had not considered my head so i just had to put the hood of my raincoat over my head and tie the toggles really tight. It was a brutal wind. How they played through it i don't know.

The first half was a fair game and I think my son is settling into the left back position pretty well. He would be better if he had learnt to kick with his left foot! They were 1-0 down at half time, which was a shame but was a defensive error whereby the centre back just stood off the opposing striker and allowed him into the box to shoot.

At half time I scuttled back to the car unsure of how much more I could take. I had had to dive into bushes for a comfort break at the start because no public conveniences were open. The wind was playing havoc with the earphones and i was struggling to hear a very interesting piece about how the French resistance were overrated.

After thawing out in the car I went back to the match to find it all going to pot. Dodgy penalties, diving, handbags the lot. The ref had lost control to some extent. The boys at this age take bad decisions badly and they got a few. The end result was 4-1 and a red card apiece. The managers got the ref to rescind them by getting both teams to do a formal shake hands and make up at the end.

I know these results are terribly important to these lads but I would like to say a big thank you to the ref for turning out on such a blinking 'orrible day. They give up their valuable free time to adjudicate to some of THE most ungrateful members of society - teenagers! Without them non of this would be possible, Good, bad or indifferent it doesn't matter. For these lads the important lesson is accepting life's knocks and learning how to deal with them appropriately.

There is always next week.