Referee originally in the middle, not in time for match (9)
I believe the answer is:
correlate
'for match' is the definition.
(correlating is a kind of matching)
'referee originally in the middle not in time' is the wordplay.
'originally' says to take the initial letters.
'in' is an insertion indicator.
'the middle' becomes 'core' (core can mean the centre of something).
'not in time' becomes 'late' (I've seen this in another clue).
The first letter of 'referee' is 'r'.
'r' going into 'core' is 'corre'.
'corre'+'late'='CORRELATE'
(Other definitions for correlate that I've seen before include "(Of two things) tally" , "To be linked to each other; trace role (anag.)" , "Bring (things) into correspondence" , "Be complementary" , "Establish a mutual relationship between (things)" .)