Open Age Poor quality balls

[Mada]

I did a men’s Saturday afternoon game yesterday at a public park. Mid way through the second half, we ended up in a situation where 2 of the home team’s match balls had been lost along with 1 of the away team’s match balls. We were left with Nike training balls which you could see had a different flight and behaved differently to the heavier match balls.

It benefited the home team who were playing long balls but they were already 2-0 down and never looked like scoring so didn’t change the outcome.

It made me think wonder whether there is any guidance for this situation happening? In a different situation, the changing of the ball from a proper match ball to a lighter training ball could have had a bearing on the game. In the spirit of getting the game played I obviously allowed it to continue but if a couple of more balls had been lost I dread to think what we would have been playing with!

 

[JamesL]

I did a men’s Saturday afternoon game yesterday at a public park. Mid way through the second half, we ended up in a situation where 2 of the home team’s match balls had been lost along with 1 of the away team’s match balls. We were left with Nike training balls which you could see had a different flight and behaved differently to the heavier match balls.

It benefited the home team who were playing long balls but they were already 2-0 down and never looked like scoring so didn’t change the outcome.

It made me think wonder whether there is any guidance for this situation happening? In a different situation, the changing of the ball from a proper match ball to a lighter training ball could have had a bearing on the game. In the spirit of getting the game played I obviously allowed it to continue but if a couple of more balls had been lost I dread to think what we would have been playing with!

So long as the ball meets the criteria of law 2 you are good to go.

Even so I'd be arguing spirit of law at grassroots if there really was no other option.

 

[Ben448844]

I did a men’s Saturday afternoon game yesterday at a public park. Mid way through the second half, we ended up in a situation where 2 of the home team’s match balls had been lost along with 1 of the away team’s match balls. We were left with Nike training balls which you could see had a different flight and behaved differently to the heavier match balls.

It benefited the home team who were playing long balls but they were already 2-0 down and never looked like scoring so didn’t change the outcome.

It made me think wonder whether there is any guidance for this situation happening? In a different situation, the changing of the ball from a proper match ball to a lighter training ball could have had a bearing on the game. In the spirit of getting the game played I obviously allowed it to continue but if a couple of more balls had been lost I dread to think what we would have been playing with!

Not our problem. Amateur football on a public park.....if its round and got plenty of air in then just let them play regardless of whether it's a different ball or a bit battered. Don't go looking to create issues

 

[Justylove]

That's why you need a pressure gauge, tape measure and scales to ensure you've got a ball that fully complies with the criteria in the good book.

Nothing helps your match Control more than stopping the game to weigh and measure a replacement ball!

 

[Ben448844]

I've got an image in my head of a game in the South Manchester Sunday Leagues I played in for 15 years where the ref stops the game to ensure the ball has the exact correct pressure and is close enough to the original ball to continue. You'd be a busy ref for the rest of the game that's for sure.

In adult amateur football do not create issues that aren't there.

 

[socal lurker]

A few years ago I played in a small sided adult league. At one point the GK on the other team realized the ball was flat, tossed it off the field and grabbed another. So the R called a CK. Everyone else on the pitch rolled their eyes, and my team kicked the ball over the goal line back to the GK for a GK.