Question Number: 35769

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 10/21/2024

RE: Comp. Under 15

Larry of Danville, CA United States asks...

There is an attacker on a break away with a defender to the side and just slightly behind. The attacker has a very hard touch a yard inside the PA and the ball is clearly headed for the GK to collect. Just after the hard ball touch by the attacker, the defender clips the feet of the attacker who goes down. Definitely not DOGSO or even SPA as the attacker had lost possession and would not regain it. Perhaps this is a “I needed to see the play” call, but my question is should the inadvertent trip be called and a penalty kick given? As always, thanks for your work.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Larry
Thanks for the question.

I have seen these given and also waved away.
A referee has to opine if the contact was inadvertent, a sort of a coming together or a deliberate trip intended to bring the player down.
Also is there a chance that the ball might not be collected by the goalkeeper and follow up play can be affected.

There is a side of me that say that nothing has been denied in that the goalkeeper picks the ball up and play continues.
I did see one of these given as a penalty in a game a few seasons ago and I thought it was harsh in that while perhaps technically an offence it seemed to be more of a coming together. The contact had no impact on play in that it was not reckless and the ball was safely in the goalkeepers hands. As expected it did cause a furore as the conceding team felt that it had no bearing on play.
Nevertheless it was awarded and technically it was an offence.

Sometimes while is should not be a factor context can have an influence. If it is a decision that has no bearing on the outcome of a game is it going to matter whether given or not. Yes the conceding team will feel sore and perhaps confirm its opinion on overall decision making and if not given the attacking team is not going to be bothered as the game is over anyway.
The tough one is the game decider late on and for me I always, on every penalty call, had to be 100% certain of the decision.
The little voice in the scenario you describe suggests a no call for me. The key word for me in your description is inadvertent. A shout of *Nothing there, a coming together, lets get on with it* would be my response to penalty appeals.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Larry,
in situations where the ball is shot and missed and the attacker gets wiped out it almost seems that is accepted punishment for missing the goal as long as that ball has gone out of play!

Here you state the attacker overhit the ball, lost control, but the defender STILL tripped him, albeit carelessness or accidental, the deed occurs! Most importantly the ball is in play! Just as important it occurs INSIDE the PA!! I 100% concur on the no DOGSO and NO SPA thus no caution but - if the defender has simply slapped the attacker on the side head and went tough luck, you lost control, do we wave it off as not really a foul?

To some extent the VC or just misconduct that is over looked when the ball goes out of play and a late tackle occurs, similar thinking is at play here. What difference did it make to what the outcome was? Often the attacker when he realizes, crap I lost it, will slow up creating contact. As my colleagues states an accidental coming together.

Although I have cautioned players for really ugly tackles especially from behind and on a few occasions even sent a player off for a VC excessive when it was 100% apparent the ball had already exited the FO after a shot inside the PA missed or was saved and deflects out into touch. In cases where it was debatable and it was a best guess at grassroots PK EVERY time as it alleviated a lot of dissent. As a referee you must confidently SELL the decision and just get on with it!

I have had a PK awarded then a goal kick with a caution to the same team in a 5 minute span for two tackles almost identical in nature! The first one the keeper saved and deflected out as the tackle was underway and the other the ball was overhit similar to your case except it slide out across the goal line into touch outside the post. The 2nd ball was CLEARLY into touch thus out of play when the useless and reckless late tackle occurred. Screams for a PK but caution and a goal kick.
Your match, your decision, your reputation!
Cheers