Question Number: 28774

League Specific 9/22/2014

RE: U12 Rec Under 12

Tangocity of City, State USA asks...

I'm waiting for a stoppage to blow the whistle and end the 3rd quarter of a Rec game (4 quarters are played). We are well past the time I would like to end the 3rd quarter and call for subsitutions so I stop the game for the end of the quarter when a GK picked up a loose ball. To start the 4th quarter, I dropped the ball to the GK instructing them to play the ball as if it were a shot from the other team and that they could pick it up and punt it etc...

Is this the correct restart with the GK punt on a dropped ball with the GK only around or should I have let that team take a free kick from there?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi
As this is not part of the Laws of the Game it is left to the competition rules or precedent to decide.
Personally I would wait for the natural stoppage to end the quarter even if that means playing a little extra.
As you stopped play during active play then the restart is a dropped ball in which case the ''best'' decision is to drop the ball to the goalkeeper so that play resumes just as it left off.
If the opponents wants to contest the dropped ball which is highly unlikely the referee would have no powers to prevent that other than persuasion.
So your solution was okay and acceptable to both teams which is important.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

When play is stopped for 'other reason', the restart is a dropped ball. There is no requirement, however, that the dropped ball be contested by the players. (But, the referee cannot order the opponent not to contest for the ball.) Your use of a dropped ball just to the keeper (who was holding the ball when play was stopped) was fair and just.