I had one last Sunday U16s good standard. Away team 2up at half time. 2-2 with c.10mins remaining. Away team player on halfway line ball bounces off his body during a challenge and hits his wrist whilst his arm is tucked by his stomach, calls of handball, I shout play on, “off his body and natural”, same player sprints and hits a great shot from 25yards, keeper tips it over, corner. Coach shouting something about handball, I ask if he wants an explanation, he says yes, I quickly explain, no handball off body natural arm position but if the shot would have gone in the goal would have been disallowed and FK on halfway line. He then complained that they still got an advantage with a corner. I just said “that’s the LoTG coach.” Then 5mins later home side just outside area whips in a cross and away player just inside his area jumps with a hand above shoulder, hits hand, penalty. Away side lots of complaints about “why is that different” etc. I explain the players arm was away from body, unnaturally bigger and in my opinion there was distance to adjust so penalty. Home team scored, final whistle a few minutes later, hosts won 3-2. This was a 3G fenced pitch with only one gate so stayed on pitch while a couple of away players and a coach said something I pretended not to hear, I said nicely “I didn’t quite catch that can you say it again please” they didn’t. A mum said I’d ruined the game with terrible refereeing “thanks for your feedback madam”.
Unfortunately the handball rule is not helpful for referees, never has been and never will be because there is a degree of subjectivity unless it is clearly a very deliberate handball.
The way I approach it now is to not give a handball unless 1. Hand is clearly away from body and unnatural …. And ….. 2. The player whose hand it touched has gained some even only minor advantage…. And 3 …. I am hearing at least one call for handball from the opposition. … and of course 4 …. If it has led directly to a goal being scored.