Awwwww Ref - Know The Laws

Here's an interesting one that had a massive impact in the Mainland Premier League on the wknd.

We're 2-0 down with 15 to go, and our striker is through on goal about 10 outside of the box and defender a meter behind chasing. There is a clash of legs (in my opinion by accident) and they both hit the floor. Straight red, freekick outside the box, we go on to win 3-2. Great game, but is it a straight red even if it was an accident?

Yes, because he was the last man, and impeded a clear goal scoring opportunity, it is a red card.

Even if it was an accident? Understand it is the last man goal scoring situation, just thought it might have a bit of intent required, similar to a handball perhaps?

Intent is irrelevant and has no bearing on whether a foul is given or whether it denies an obvious goalscoring opportunity. Pretty much only infringements for which intent is relevant are handball or back passes.

Just checked the LOTG, and it seems that if the offence was worth of a free kick, the player must be sent off. Do you think there was enough contact for a free kick to be awarded?patrick4782011-06-13 22:44:05

Considering it was my team of course! It was just a clip of the heels as one person runs behind the other, think Zola Budd perhaps, no intent. But I get the drift.

No intent but Mary Decker was fair livid.

Seems like an unlucky situation, but I think the ref was correct.

It's not that simple though SiNZ - simply because the ball is dead does not give players a free licence to play in a careless, reckless or dangerous manner.

Having not seen the incident, I can't say if it was a correct decision or not - but my guideline woul be if it's a careless/reckless/dangerous play, deal with it in usual manner, if it had been a 'professional' foul which aimed at preventing a potential goal-scoring move but the challenge itself was not of such a nature which would ordinarily result in a card being shown, then I would rescind.

But I agree it was very poor from the ref not seeing his assistant signalling offside before he issued a yellow and a red card.

Interesting that the match involved probably the 3 highest ranked officials in Wellington didn't it?

I agree completely, but was trying to confine to what I could glean from the description of the incident.

Hmm Jim Murphy/Dave Hewitt/ and that top woman.

I thought Jamie was on a line.  Must have found someone else to do it.

The ref makes a decision for a team. Eight of the team applaude ironically/sarcasctically. What shoud a ref  do?


I realise, and have seen, a yellow card would be awarded for an individual but how do you respond when it happens 'en masse'?

Talk to the captain I guess. I wonder if after that it happened again, would it be right to yellow card the captain for not bringing his players under control, or would that be going too far?

Its a tricky one. Certainly I wouldn't card for the first time but definetly talk to the captain. On second time, I would pick the most obvious one and make an example of him with a yellow.

When is a pitch unplayable?

Refused to play on the Porirua College pitch several weeks ago- school boys game. Divits, pools of water, a sea of mud in one goal mouth. Porirua College coach and I did a walk over (he initially thought it was okay but quickly changed his mind when he walked on the pitch) and both of us said it was too dangerous to play on, not only for the boys but also the old foggies who were reffing a half each. I know this is a wee bit different from the game you are talking about but surely common sense should have come in to it.

Well done, maybe it should come down to the 2 coaches and the (supposedly) unbiased ref to make a majority decision. At least it would not be a split decision.

Yeah right, let the coaches decide, 1 team is at full strenght, the other has injuries, players unavailable, suspensions I'm sure he'll want to play.

Re the WU v LHC Cap 1 game, the ref made the final decision but both team's coaches and captains assessed the field with the ref and neither disagreed with the ref's suggestion that it was a) unsafe to play on and b) likely to be called off after half an hour when the field cuts up to a state where the ball will no longer roll.

It is ultimately the ref's call but if one team is on his back saying it's fine to play on he could be inclined to start play and see how it goes. That way he'd be less likely to cop any flack about the decision later on if he called it off after 30 or so minutes.

Thank you for confirming that the 3 points Miramar (Cap1) lost, was entirely the ref's fault.

Hey look I think you guys should stop  bitching about referees  and concentrate on the game ... I was at that game ...

Oh my goodness, you're rather grumpy this morning. Maybe tensions were high with the wifey last night.

No No i'm Grumpy and i don't have anny issues in my house ....

Women refs get more abuse.

I'm no "making suggestions"

Gosh, why are there are so many moaners and whingers towards your umpires, coaches, players and now.. the ground to play on. Make peace, it is just a game and enjoy it while you can. Would you rather not play? If so, don't and come and have a REAL kickaround in our oval code and get some real concussions and broken bones.

Hell NOOO

Or come and play in Christchurch where half the grounds are under water and silt anyway

We had a game on saturday that netted our team 7 yellow cards and 1 red. The opposition had none. The intersting part about this,is that the ref in question works with one of my team mates are the ref asked my team mate during the week to pick a number between 1 and 7. He choose 4 and asked what that was for, to which the ref replied....'thats how many cards i will issue during the game. Is that not some sort of pre-meditation on the refs behalf. Fair enough if we are dirty players, but we have had 2 yellow cards issued in 11 games. Becomes a very expensive game of football for us

That isn't a nice  way to go about it aye .....

If that was the case then maybe something should be said to Capital. Not sure what good it will do but would make you feel better. That's about $450 for Capitals coffers as well!!

Woow that is a lot of money ....

Capital make $75 000 a year on fines. Bet it feels sooo nice to have contributed so much to them!! NOT!!

Trevs Sports Masterton Athletic vs McAuleys Masterton AFC. Played at Hullena 1 at 2.30pm. Ref was David Gates. Some of the yellows were absolutely rediculous. I am captain and i got a yellow for asking the justification of a yellow on a player who had done nothing wrong. I understand the red card (as it was a second bookable offence), but the player shouldnt of been issued the 1st yellow. Also one of there players had axed one of our players from behind, and then got up and said "it doesnt matter, as no one was hurt".   The ref only spoke to this player after i requested he should, after the said player had given away another free kick after that. That player was spoken to 4 times during the course of the game, and yet no yellow. I dont like to see any players get cards, as it hits them in the pocket, but if its is deserved, it the only way they will learn. Most of our cards were given to players on first offense. Bit of a joke if nothing can be done about it.

That is very sad .......