Question Number: 15546

Law 8 - Start and Restart of Play 5/21/2007

RE: rec Under 12

Dan of Montville, NJ 07045 asks...

U11 girls game, one center ref, club linesmen. Home team lost the coin toss and started the 1st half with the kick-off. At the start of second half, both teams have switched ends but the home team again kicks-off. It took a moment or two before I (as coach of the away team) noticed the error. I try to bring this to the ref's attention, but the home team scores almost immediately. I check with home coaches and they agree, they started with the ball to begin the game.

The ref shrugs off our concerns and allows the goal and has us kick-off after the goal.

After the game he acknowledges that he failed to record who had the initial kick-off, so he could have been mistaken.

If the ref had wanted to correct his error prior to the kick-off for the goal what should he have done? What about time, should he have reset the clock, even if a significant amount of time passes before he corrects the oversight?

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Since play had not restarted, the referee could waive off the goal and start with a kick off. Time doesn't matter, just the restart. If he restarts before he waives off the goal, the goal must count. Lots of things happen at U11 games.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Let's see, a kick-off, oops wrong team, HEY REF, WRONG TEAM!!!!, one team stops to see what their coach is screaming about, the other scores a goal. I wonder...

Referee made a mistake, easily fixable, fix it and get on with the match. UNLESS the referee feels someone is trying to intimidate him. I wonder...

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 15602