Does this set a precedent? How far could it go? This instance related to correct application of penalty rules, but what next and where would it end? Replays if a team score from a corner that should have been given as a goal kick? Replays if a team loses after having a player sent off and then successfully appeals that the referee shouldn’t have sent him off?
Outrageous decision to replay the game. The referee’s decision (correct, incorrect or wrongly applied) must be final as far as result is concerned. Huge can of worms
True story, I once played in a cup quarter final where the referee awarded the opposition a penalty quite late in the game because one of our defenders played the ball from a goal kick (taken by our keeper) before it had left the penalty area (you’re allowed to do that now of course)
We lost the game 2-1 (they scored from the penalty)
I know laced up leather footballs were incredibly heavy, especially on a wet day (remember them) when they sucked up moisture like sponges but that must have been the most feeble goal kick ever.
Just joshing, Eric. Even I only vaguely remember those balls. But I did assume that your playing days predated the era of goalkeepers passing the ball, especially on the Rye.
So, this has being the rounds at my level in terms of my colleagues (the teams are at the level I operate at and in the same region). I and the majority of fellow referees think this is a very bad precedent to set. Effectively the reason is that the laws of the game were incorrectly applied for this rather than being incorrectly interpreted. However, in reality there is no difference between the two in my opinion.
I think that this could set a presedence in which lets say something like a throw in is given to the incorrect team, then it’s a wrong application of law which is a very bad idea.