Question Number: 21505

Mechanics 6/8/2009

RE: Rec Adult

Refsteve of Long Island, New York USA asks...

When doing a game solo with no ARs (which is 99% of the time), I often run into a situation where I am in close proximity to the ball, in good position, then the ball is crossed to the opposite side of the field, and a foul is comitted close to or in the PA. But it is hard to tell if it is within the PA or just outside. When in doubt, I usually place the ball just outside the PA line and call for a direct kick, rather than awarding a PK if I am uncertain as to the location of the foul.
Any advice on how to make these types of calls ??

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

There really is no good answer to your question. Your league has given you a task which they expect you to perform, but not given you the assistance to accomplish the task. The league has two choices: limit the number of games (teams) so that there are no more games than the referees can cover, or actively seek to recruit and retain referees so there are enough referees to cover all the games. League attittudes on referee training, pay, support and stamping out abuse factor in to having a stable and effective referee corps.

Ok, sermon over. To your specific question, go with the general principle of, 'If you didn't see it, you can't call it.' If you are not sure the foul took place inside the penalty area, then it didn't.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

If you see the foul, you've done well. Its hard when you work alone to be close to play and to recover on counterattacks.

While you shouldn't call a penalty kick if you are unsure about the location, the players will give you some clues. If the attacker is trying to do a quick restart, the attacker is telling you that it wasn't a penalty. The defender who has time decide whether to commit a foul or not, usually commits the foul outside the penalty area. Keepers usually prefer to slide past and challenge the ball with their hands if they are inside the penalty area and challenge the ball with their feet if they outside the penalty area. The clues won't substitute for a decent assistant referee, but can give you some confirmation that your gut feeling on inside/outside the PA is correct. When in doubt, call it out.