EASTER FOOTBALL - YOU ARE THE REF

1.

Playing in football posts with no crossbar, a player shoots goalward through the air. The goalie, probably the tallest player on his team jumps with one arm above his head and the ball sails over it. Do you award a goal?

Ex Easter Camp Football Referee Brock:
This is a grey area and pretty hard to judge or award a decision. I’d give benefit of doubt to defending team – after all it is the tallest player, his hands were raised and it’s not the easiest of goals to award: should a dubious potshot from 30 yards be awarded a goal? - no attackers can do better. If a small scout was in net you would laugh at the claim and in this game and you can’t really go round awarding goals you are not absolutely certain about. NO GOAL


2.

Playing with sticks as goalposts a player shoots from an acute angle and strikes the near post at hip height. The post is hit backward and the ball continues to travel on the correct side of the post and into the back of the net. The attackers claim a goal while the opposition protest that the post has moved and had it remained upright and solid the ball would have bounced back into the field of play. What do you award?

Ex Easter Camp Football Referee Brock:
Hard to judge again seeing the angles from distance, You might check the height of the ball when it struck the post and look at the angle and incline of the post may help but if in any doubt then award a goal kick, giving benefit of doubt to defending team. Jumpers for goalposts would go straight over and be called “post”. The goalie usually marks the near post so he probably would have saved it had it gone close. NO GOAL


3.

In a game where only scouts can score, a high, lobbed, ball comes down in the middle of the penalty area and is subtly flicked downwards and goalward by the scout leader striker. The ball bounces between the advancing goalies legs, up off his back and into the net. The striker claims an “own goal” while the goalie insists it didn’t touch him and he cannot score an own goal as he too is a scout leader. What do you award?

Ex Easter Camp Football Referee Brock:
Firstly the Leader clause doesn’t count as it would have massive overbearing consequences that could potentially destroy the whole goal system of the game and turn it into a comedy with leaders happily turning the ball into their own net in a defensive situation. So if you see the deflection off the keeper, and the ball goes in the net, you have to give the goal. If you don’t think it hit the keeper then it’s not a goal. In this game you ‘d have to give what you saw.