Question Number: 20498

Law 9 - The Ball in and out of Play 11/12/2008

RE: Rec Under 9

Mike Harding of Etchingham, East Sussex UK asks...

In open play, an attacker shoots at the opponents goal. He beats the keeper cleanly along the ground. Literally, as the ball is crossing the line the referee blows the whistle for half time. The ball subsequently ends up in the goal but the referee disallows the goal by claiming that he had blown his whistle before the ball had fully crossed the line.

Was the referee correct to disallow the goal? This happened in my son's match in a tournament and many tears were head!

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

Technically yes. The referee was correct by the letter of the law. IN FACT, the time is up when the referee decides it is up, not when the whistle sounds.

I would think that the referee could have seen the situation and waited a split second longer, but that is not the law.

Also, some tournaments have a rule requiring that no time be added on (which is against the law, but competition rules trump the laws of the game as teams and referees agree to abide by them.) So, if this tournament had a strict timing rule, then the referee would have no option, once the timer was done -- the period had to end, no exceptions.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Sounds like a referee who is watching the watch and not the play.

The referee is the sole arbiter of time in a game, and she is charged with taking into account all time lost through substitution, injury, dealing with injuries, wasted time and other matters. For that reason, it is very hard to imagine the referee has timed the game to the exact second before the ball crosses the goal line.

Nonetheless, if the referee determined time was up, it was up, and there is no help for it. All I can suggest is talking to the referee association about the incident, either in person or by letter, and asking that the matter be discussed in meetings.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

The referee is correct in not awarding the goal as time had expired before the ball crossed all the way over the goal line in accordance with Law 10. I note this is a U9 game. I doubt you had a very experienced referee. The referee probably was watching his watch and not the game. Most referees would not blow the whistle as the ball is entering the goal and would then allow a kick-off and then stop play. There are, of course, 2 sides to this. How fair is it to the other team if the referee adds time just for the purpose of your team scoring a goal?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

While it is true time is relative and rarely to the micro second, it is as unfair to extend time as it is not to play all time. If the whistle sounds before the ball has crossed the goal line the referee has formerly annouced the play was dead and the goal does not count!
Unless this was a clock timer setting where a horn goes to end the match a prudent referee would have delayed the whistle that fraction of a second. If you watch the watch you are not watching play.
Cheers