Question Number: 14998

Law 7 - Match Duration 3/17/2007

RE: Adult

Keith of oxford, uk asks...

The score is 4-2 the away side down to 10 men. The ref blows for full time, the away team manager shouts that there is still 7 to 8 minutes left to play (confirmed by home team)Away manager says too late now you have blown your whistle for full time & leads his team away. Home team willing to carry on and play last 8 mins, both teams leave field of play. Afterwards ref states there must of been a problem with his watch and says he will note it in his report.
Does the result stand?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Look at our you call it #2.
The referee upon realization the match is not played with two equal halves should return the teams asap to the field of play. The final whstle is treated as an inadvertant stoppage and the restart occurs as a dropball where the ball was at the time of the whistle!

At issue is whether the referee decided that time was up and even if he was incorrect ,choose not to accept non neutral information from the teams, whereas as he could accept the input of the AR or 4th if they were present.

If the referee realizes the coaches are correct that time was not truly up and he knows this to be true after rechecking with his ARs or even upon realizing his own timepiece error he is obligated to reassemble the teams and play out that remaining time.

The issue of whether a protest will overturn a result or force a replay will hinge on the actual circumstances of what is brought to light at the hearing. If everyone knew time was irregular and used the excuse the referee blew a whistle thinking the game was over but was wrong in my opinion the game should be replayed. If the referee sticks with by my watch the match was over, as the sole authority of the match the result could likely stand! It depends just what that referee note in the report admits too!

A referee with integrity calls what he sees ?
Did the referee see this as he called it?
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

This is crazy. If the referee realizes his mistake and orders both teams back onto the field, they MUST comply. restart is a dropped ball if ball was in play when whistle was blown. The team that refused to return has set themselves up for a forfeit if the referee in his report states he told both teams to resume play.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

This is similar to an inadvertant whistle. The players are requiered to get back on field and the restart is a drop ball where ball was when play stopped. Both havles must of of equal length. Now that the referee did not do this, I do not know what league will do.