Question Number: 26956

Law 5 - The Referee 10/29/2012

RE: Rec Under 14

John Miller of Houston, Texas USA asks...

Our right forward was trapped by two defenders near the end line about half way between the opponents goal and the corner. She managed to pass the ball out but a third defender deflected it to the middle of the goal box and our left forward punched it in. The referee signaled a goal scored. The opponents players then argued to the ref that the ball had been out while the first forward was trapped along the end line and after a half minute or so the ref reverses the call, disallows the goal, and awards the other team a goal kick. There were no side line refs to help out on the call. The ref told me after the match that he reversed the call because our girls did not come back from midfield (where they were assembling for the kick off) to argue their side of the call. I'm curious if the referee was correct to reverse a goal on this basis. Thank You

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Oh dear.

While young players often will give clues about whether the ball went out of play (suddenly stopping running) or who touched the ball last on a GK/CK (if the defender runs back into the penalty area than chase the ball for the goal kick, the defender likely knows she is the one who kicked the ball out) - - getting ready for the kickoff only is a clue that the team thinks they scored.

Solo referees have to do their best in the circumstances, and the referee's original judgment that the ball was in play should be reversed only if the referee is sure that the original decision was incorrect.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi John
Sounds to me like a very inexperienced referee. The ball was either out of play or it wasn't and it is a matter for the referee to decide based on what he saw. To get into an debate about whether the ball was in or out of play with the conceding team was not acceptable. Game decisions by the referee are not a debating society matter based on opinions or who can make the best arguments.
The referee should know that the players who are awaiting the kick off have assumed that a goal has been scored and why would they need to argue the non call?
Once he signallled the goal then he should have stood by his decision.