Durovigutum
New Member
Hi everyone (and a HNY!),
I'm a new poster who has completed game 4 of his "appointed matches" refereeing "career" (but I've had 10 years umpiring hockey to about the equivalent of the Vanarama conference - a subject I'll post about at some point when I have the time).
I gave a penalty a few weeks ago when a ball bounced up, hit a defenders hand in the box which caused the ball to be diverted away from two strikers. To me the defender had gained an unfair advantage through the use of the hand, even though the action was not deliberate, as the strikers would have received possession and (talent levels depending) had a goal scoring opportunity. It was a youth game and there was no "feedback" from any of the players (or the coaches afterwards - mind you it was 0.5C with a wind chill that brought it to -5), except visual disappointment from the defender. The ball had come across from a corner, was in the goal area, bit of a melee, hit the ground and bounced up onto his hand held in front of his stomach - he was standing a couple of yards in the goal from the post at 45 degrees from the goal, so the ball was moving away from goal to two attackers who would have received the ball landing (probably) on the ground just outside the 6 yard box in line with the post (interestingly one of these two scored a gem of an overhead kick ten minutes later - a really high quality goal!).
I try to go back and review the key points of the rules based on actions I take through the games I ref, and the IFAB rule book is not a thing of clear, concise clarity so I'd appreciate some pointers.
By the letter of the law it seems a handball HAS to be deliberate. Technically therefore it seems I am wrong to give the penalty for "handball". There is the denial of a goal scoring opportunity but perhaps not the "obvious" when a player dives across and pushes the ball around the post. I gave it as the defender had gained an unfair advantage through use of the hand, which I see in IFAB advice notes (undated) but I can't find in the latest rule book.
Any thoughts?
I'm a new poster who has completed game 4 of his "appointed matches" refereeing "career" (but I've had 10 years umpiring hockey to about the equivalent of the Vanarama conference - a subject I'll post about at some point when I have the time).
I gave a penalty a few weeks ago when a ball bounced up, hit a defenders hand in the box which caused the ball to be diverted away from two strikers. To me the defender had gained an unfair advantage through the use of the hand, even though the action was not deliberate, as the strikers would have received possession and (talent levels depending) had a goal scoring opportunity. It was a youth game and there was no "feedback" from any of the players (or the coaches afterwards - mind you it was 0.5C with a wind chill that brought it to -5), except visual disappointment from the defender. The ball had come across from a corner, was in the goal area, bit of a melee, hit the ground and bounced up onto his hand held in front of his stomach - he was standing a couple of yards in the goal from the post at 45 degrees from the goal, so the ball was moving away from goal to two attackers who would have received the ball landing (probably) on the ground just outside the 6 yard box in line with the post (interestingly one of these two scored a gem of an overhead kick ten minutes later - a really high quality goal!).
I try to go back and review the key points of the rules based on actions I take through the games I ref, and the IFAB rule book is not a thing of clear, concise clarity so I'd appreciate some pointers.
By the letter of the law it seems a handball HAS to be deliberate. Technically therefore it seems I am wrong to give the penalty for "handball". There is the denial of a goal scoring opportunity but perhaps not the "obvious" when a player dives across and pushes the ball around the post. I gave it as the defender had gained an unfair advantage through use of the hand, which I see in IFAB advice notes (undated) but I can't find in the latest rule book.
Any thoughts?