Drop Ball Goal

[Jtpetherick1]

Game on Wednesday. A clash of heads in the box after a corner means players from both sides down on the line so I blow. Treatment occurs etc and the restart is a DB to the attacking team about 5 yards outside the area on the corner of the box - the corner was cleared and a player controlled the ball there before I blew. I drop it, player crosses and attacker heads it in.

I felt uncomfortable awarding the goal and the defending team were furious - it was such a good header and cross that they were in effect powerless to prevent a goal form the second I dropped the ball. However, I awarded the goal and can see no reason in LOTG after another thorough reading to disallow it. It took the required two touches and the DB to the attacking team was the correct. Was the goal legal?

 

[JamesL]

Yes. You might see from some of my posts, it makes me uncomfortable, that in some cases you are awarding a set piece. I too have had a goal follow immediately as a result of a drop ball to attacking third.
Only way is to be quicker on stopping play. Or be careful when and where you stop it. Otherwise you have this situation on your hands. All completely legal.

 

[one]

the corner was cleared and a player controlled the ball there before I blew.

did this player have an equally as good of a chance to cross the ball as the one which was scored from?

Did any defender's rush in to defend the cross once you dropped it?

I can't help it but think that defenders are not used to the new dropped ball yet and get caught off guard defending it. The original chance would have had the defenders a lot more alert to defend it. In a few years and it is less unlikely this would have been scored from because the defender learn how to defend it better.

 

[Big Cat]

I said in the Summer that we'd need to be mindful of whistle timings in such situations. I'd be clinging on for a few seconds if need be

 

[Martiju]

I said in the Summer that we'd need to be mindful of whistle timings in such situations. I'd be clinging on for a few seconds if need be

I agree, but the danger then is that the ball is whipped in and they score with a defender lying prostrate on the line...

 

[Big Cat]

I agree, but the danger then is that the ball is whipped in and they score with a defender lying prostrate on the line...

Indeed. We live life on a knife edge!

 

[zarathustra]

Good goal, play on.

It is unfortunate that this happened, and the only way to avoid it is to be mindful of where the ball is when you blow up.

But I would be wary of basing your decision on when to stop play on who has possession and where. The decision to stop play should be based on whether you think the injured player has suffered a serious injury, or a head injury and needs medical attention/the magic sponge.

If the opposition has the ball and are looking like scoring and there is a player down with a head injury you're not going to be able to wait 5 minutes for the defending team to get the ball, or for the ball to go out of play.

 

[Peter Grove]

it was such a good header and cross that they were in effect powerless to prevent a goal form the second I dropped the ball.

This is the part I don't quite understand. How does a cross coming in from a dropped ball render the defenders incapable of defending it? On any cross, defenders have the opportunity to mark the forwards and prevent then from getting a header off. The fact that they didn't manage to defend this cross successfully, it seems to me, is their fault not yours.

I'm assuming here, that you took your time in setting up the dropped ball properly, ensuring that the nearest opponent was 4.5 yards away etc, in much the same way as you would for a free kick (other than the defender being closer than they would be at a free kick) and so the defenders knew what was coming and had time to prepare. If you did some kind of "quick dropped ball" without allowing any time to elapse, thereby catching the defence off-guard, I could understand them being annoyed. Otherwise though, I'd say it sounds like it was as much a case of poor defending as anything else.

 

[one]

The defenders knew it was comming because he restarted play with a whistle after an injury. Right?

 

[Brian Hamilton]

You also have to consider your position when dropping the ball. If you happen to stand between the player who will take control of the ball and the goal, you can manage the restart in such high risk situations. You can also make it really clear to everyone around that once the ball touches the ground it is in play, then you will find that defenders are more alert at the restart.

Like other have said though, it is the responsibility of the defending team to defend properly.

 

[Darren83]

I've not had anything like this in any of my games yet but after reading this thread I would blow straight away and when the players have been checked on restart with a drop ball to the goalkeeper.

You were right though with your restart and as for the defending team that's just the way it goes. Sometimes people are not aware that teams don't contest drop balls like they used to and as an above poster said once teams get used to it then it won't even be questioned

 

[Russell Jones]

The other occasion which will unavoidably catch us out (and it did in fact happen to me in my Contrib match on Saturday) is where you drop it to a team in their own half, generally to the keeper, when they are losing and trying to chase the game. Understandably he then boots it way upfield more or less immediately and you are 40 metres out of position for the ensuing challenge. You can try asking the GK nicely to wait a few seconds but they are under no obligation to listen .....