Whether ball was in play or not you made the snap decision at that time, players have to deal with it, the defender choose to make the rash challenge in that risky area entirely his fault. I say good on you for making a hard call, the amount of time they try and deceive you in making a favourable decision for them and they start quoting laws at you in this instance its laughable.I had a big decision today in the last minute of the game and a decision where someone was always going to feel aggrieved. The away team are winning 3-2 and the match had been competitive, even but overall scrappy on a hard pitch. It was one of those games where everyone is calling for every push in the back so lots of appealing for nothing. I thought up until the KMI I had let the game flow and kept control well with 2-3 cautions overall.
In the 90th minute the home team attacked down the left hand side, the forward shoots and the goalkeeper made a decent save but pushed it out to the other side between the 6 yard box and the penalty spot. The other attacker the ball fell to was under pressure from another defender but the attacker just about got there first. His powerful shot was blazed over the bar. A split second later the defender wipes him out and I give the penalty. For what it's worth I was very decisive and cautioned the defender (I thought he made an attempt for the ball but got it wrong).
At this point I was surrounded and told that it can't be a penalty as he had taken the shot and it can't be a penalty because the ball was off the pitch when the contact was made. My justification was that the defender took a risk by making the tackle and fouled the attacker. The away captain said he agreed it was a foul anywhere else but it can't be a penalty as again the ball was off the pitch. Not sure I've ever seen that in the laws of the game but it's put a tiny piece of nagging doubt in my mind.
I am 99% sure I got it right but would have loved to have a neutral there to back me up and give me their opinion. The away team felt aggrieved and the manager said I had a poor game, another player called me a cheat but I couldn't identify who it was so took no action. It was one of those days where you wonder why you do it and I couldn't wait to get home. I had a feeling with about 15 minutes to go there would be a huge decision i'd have to make, I could almost sense it coming.
Probably one where you had to be there but what does everyone think?