Question Number: 28466

Law 10 - Method of Scoring 5/31/2014

RE: comp Under 11

Mark K. of Rocklin, CA United States asks...

This question is a follow up to question 28354

As a follow up to this question, say this happens:

The keeper grabs the ball, the AR does not immediately raise her flag, the keeper clears the ball into the the opposing half field of play, and 1-2 touches occur. The AR raises her flag (it's not exactly clear when - but it's clearly after the keeper controlled and kicked the ball into the opposite half.)

The head ref stops play with a whistle. Has a chat with the AR, and awards a goal.

Is this correct by the head ref? I don't know if the ball originally entirely crossed the plane or not, but play had continued for a kick and a couple of touches before the ref stopped play.

Either way, it was poorly done by the AR.

tia

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

If the ball had completely crossed the goal line, then a goal should be awarded. Perhaps the AR did not put up her flag at first because she thought the ref had seen the goal. Then when she realized play was continuing (and they weren't just passing the ball back to the center circle for a kickoff), she properly signaled to get play stopped and the goal awarded.

Not the best mechanics by the AR. Normally when everyone sees the ball is in the goal, the AR signals that everything is OK by sprinting up the line toward the center. Many AR's forget the alternate signal, that if the ball rebounds immediately back into play, she should stand and raise the flag to stop play, and only then continue with the regular goal signal.

Only if the ref had stopped play for something else and then allowed a restart could they not go back to the goal.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi
Poor mechanics here by the referee crew. However as a goal has been scored and play has not restarted it must be awarded. The restart is a kick off.
Now what should have happened is that once the ball crossed the goal line the AR should have raised his flag to attract the referee's attention then continued with the normal goal procedure signal of running quickly 25-30 yards along the touch line towards the halfway line.