I was already having a bad day before this afternoon fixture, and then the match turns on a huge incident at 3-1 to the away side (eventually 6-1 winners). Striker for home side is through and hits a shot with outside of the foot; I am begging it to go wide or in first time, as I am struggling to get close enough to see the line. Typically--and this seems to happen to me at least twice a season; Sod's law!?--it hits post and slowly bounces along line. I haven't seen enough to give goal and have no assistants, so wave away strongly. Home side obviously convinced it was in because opponents 'had all gone quiet'. Sometimes the ball just doesn't bounce your way.
U14 school fixture--goal-line technology would have been useful
- Thread starter SLI39
- Start date
socal lurker
RefChat Addict
Shrug. That's simply an impossible call for a lone ref, especially with a poorly marked goal line. You were right that if you can't be sure, you can't give it. (And defensive body language doesn't mean much--they aren't sure either, and a shocking number of players don't understand the impact of whole ball over the whole line.) Even with NARs, some of these are almost impossible, as even a hustling AR can't always have a good enough angle on very close calls. So I go back to: shrug, it's just part of the game.
Play on..... next 
santa sangria
RefChat Addict
You’ve made your decision. No goal. Then it’s all about how you sell it.
What works here? A strong shout of no goal, cut the grass and then either on the run or at the next stoppage quickly explain loudly eg to captain, key player, even coach if youth, that you didn’t see the ball had crossed the line.
Depending on your character you could apologise, joke, tell the to get promoted to get ARs, remind them you don’t have ARs... whatever fits. But strong clear actions. It’s not a popularity contest at this point.
What works here? A strong shout of no goal, cut the grass and then either on the run or at the next stoppage quickly explain loudly eg to captain, key player, even coach if youth, that you didn’t see the ball had crossed the line.
Depending on your character you could apologise, joke, tell the to get promoted to get ARs, remind them you don’t have ARs... whatever fits. But strong clear actions. It’s not a popularity contest at this point.
You’ve made your decision. No goal. Then it’s all about how you sell it.
What works here? A strong shout of no goal, cut the grass and then either on the run or at the next stoppage quickly explain loudly eg to captain, key player, even coach if youth, that you didn’t see the ball had crossed the line.
Depending on your character you could apologise, joke, tell the to get promoted to get ARs, remind them you don’t have ARs... whatever fits. But strong clear actions. It’s not a popularity contest at this point.
Spot on. Get this a lot with ball in/out on the goal line...it was in/out ref! First answer is always that I’ve got no AR’s- with a shrug. If they carry on I remind them I’m not guessing if I’m not sure. If they still persist it is a warning to get on with it or people will be going in the bin.
OP, I really wouldn’t worry about it. I’d rather not give it than guess. One of them things.
We all make guesses quite frequently, 80% hunch type stuff; but for goal decisions we're after a strong degree of certainty. I know it must be intimidating for many to officiate at higher levels in front of crowds of rabid commoners (like myself), but working alone at Level 7 is comparable to being a toilette janitor with incompetent colleagues who don't want to be there
SurreySuperRef
Active Member
Sometimes you can see by the reactions of the players. Waiting and seeing is often a good tactic. If the opponents pick up the ball and trudge to the center, then you do know.
However at the end of the day, it's your call and if you're not sure, then you can't give it.
However at the end of the day, it's your call and if you're not sure, then you can't give it.