A&H

Open Age What would you have done?

Anthony

Anthony

Active Member
Level 5 Referee
On Saturday one team scored to lead by 3 goals, 20 minutes left to play. I was pretty sure he headed (glancing) it whilst on the goal line and was offside when he did so. I looked across at the CAR and he had not flagged, I rewound it in my mind and thought the attacker had been standing there as his team mate crossed it, the defenders bar one were off the goal line. As I moved towards the CAR the defending Captain told me not to bother about it.

Did I really need to make trouble for myself? Defending Captain didn't care. CAR had not seen anything. I was not on the goal line.Scorers were all happy and moving back for the restart. Defenders had all accepted it. Not one player was quizzing the validity of the goal. I was the only one who had seen anything.

Did I bottle it, did I show common sense, did I do nothing, did I tell myself the attacker did not touch it, did I want to be the centre of attention??

In case it matters, Park football, OA, Division 2, pretty good standard, nothing nasty had gone on before, match finished with both sides scoring once more.

What would you have done?
 
The Referee Store
If no one has noticed and you're not a 100% sure anyway... I'd put the lottery on see if your lucky streak continues.
Usually in that instance you'll have the defenders going mad for offside and the culprit swearing blind he didn't touch it. In this instance you've gave a decision and no one has argued either way... Perfect :)
 
If it's been a boring game, check with the CAR that there was no offside, if not, run around the pitch screaming "GGGGGOOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLL" Spanish commentator style.

But back on planet earth, I'd just give the goal, if you're not in line you can't be 100% sure,
 
If i was 100% sure he glanced it.... offside....no goal
If i wasn't 100% sure he glanced it he still in offside position thus gaining an unfair advantage as in any offside decision.....
To me i don't care what the reactions were of all around me... i see offside i blow the whistle
 
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If you have doubt that the player in the offside position played the ball (ie, not 100% certain), then you cannot assume that he touched it. Thus... goal, unless you deemed that the player in offside position was actively interfering with an opponent trying to play the ball.
 
The CAR didn't flag
The defenders didn't moan
You weren't absolutly sure there was an offside

Why the hell would you ask for trouble ? Goal, that's it
 
Given that you yourself wasn't 100% sure and no one seemed to argue then I'd give the goal. I would only get involved if I was 100% convinced it was offside
 
I could see benefit in speaking to the CAR to work out if a certain player touched it or something like that, piece together the puzzle - the sort of thing where a NAR should be able to look at the whole picture, but the CAR might miss a bit.

But benefit of the doubt goes towards the attack - and that's where your benefit of the doubt goes now, and given the overall scenario I think you did the right thing in not going out of your way to look for a decision that nobody wanted, nobody would agree with and you couldn't see at first anyway.
 
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