The Ref Stop

2 match incidents - Penalty for a high foot and low head and confrontation from a sub off the pitch

How would you do deal with say all the subs from both sides steaming on to the field of play (could well happen)


If you dish out a yellow for original foul, yellow each for the players who have started the mass con, then 7/8 yellows for the players entering the FOP

You'll be told you've lost control of the game.
 
The Ref Stop
How would you do deal with say all the subs from both sides steaming on to the field of play (could well happen)


If you dish out a yellow for original foul, yellow each for the players who have started the mass con, then 7/8 yellows for the players entering the FOP

You'll be told you've lost control of the game.
Use discretion, but also, don't be afraid to punish players who are out there to cause trouble. If you've seen 7 or 8 players come on the pitch with the intention of causing trouble, it's not your fault they chose to do that and need to accept cards for it. But on the other hand, in a situation like that, show some sympathy for people who are genuinely trying to help by breaking things up, or even those who just come on in order to be a "presence" without actually doing anything.
 
How would you do deal with say all the subs from both sides steaming on to the field of play (could well happen)


If you dish out a yellow for original foul, yellow each for the players who have started the mass con, then 7/8 yellows for the players entering the FOP

You'll be told you've lost control of the game.

First of all, being told you've lost control of the game is par for the course. You haven't lost control of the game; the players have lost control of themselves. Deal with incidents appropriately and intelligently and you won't go wrong--even if the players do.

Now, in terms of the substitutes streaming onto the field during a mass con, it is kind of an established and unspoken agreement that Mass Cons are a different breed. It would be foolish to caution every substitute who entered the FOP without your permission just as it would be foolish to caution every player who left the FOP during the confrontation. You have the option of cautioning the first substitute from each team who enters the field if you think it's necessary. I don't think it is.

In the case of substitutes entering the FOP during a Mass Con: look for the players who come out and add to the confrontation by creating trouble. Some subs or even team officials will enter the FOP to try and restore order--these are your friends and don't deserve punishment (they really deserve thanks).

Punish misconduct which is violent, punish the instigator and retaliator, and get the game rolling again. Don't forget to adjust your tolerance level immediately following Mass Con to be very strict with players--we aren't playing any advantages which aren't clear promising attacks, we aren't letting borderline tackles go. This doesn't mean making up offences, it just means that those 2/10 tackles are now definitely fouls.
 
You've got to get the one that started it and the one that retaliated, and then try to get one from each team for wading in if it was serious enough to merit that. Obviously if you've seen punches flying in you are going to end up with red cards, but what you don't really want is loads of cautions for AAA, rather try to pick the most serious of those offences. You certainly don't want to add cautions for entering the pitch without permission to the mix, if the subs created problems deal with them for AAA if necessary but don't add unnecessary fuel to the fire.
 
It is a real balancing act. With experience you get closer to the right balance. Every situation is different. Its not black and white. There are a few things you must do. Never overlook an actin that must be punished with a red card. You may overlook some yellow cards, for example sub has come on but has not contributed much but you have already dished out 5 yellows so you can over look this last yellow. But never do the same for red cards.

One other thing to consider is the distance the sub comes from. If they run 50 yard in it work a lot less in their favor than if the incident was right in front of the technical area. TBH i have more sympathy for a sub who takes two steps into the field than a goal keeper who runs 60 yards to get to the incident.

An analogy i can use for the "stream of subs" is when in a CFK a whole wall of 5 defenders advance 3 meters after you whistle for the free kick to be taken but before the kick. You are not going to caution all 5 defenders, just pick one.
 
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