On the game on Sunday 5 minutes into the game at a stoppage the home team asked if they could change the ball. I inspected the new ball and allowed play to continue. The first one was fine so I never found out what the problem was with it, but it seemed like a common sense decision to change balls. The game was very competitive and was 1-1 with 5 mins to go and both teams looking for a win, it was first v second in the league. The ball goes out for a throw in and travels maybe 20 metres from the pitch. The away coach then throws another ball to one of his players so the throw in could be taken quickly. Before it is taken I tell the player not to take it and get the ball. It was not miles away stuck in a tree or behind a hedge. Away coach not happy but I stood my ground. In my opinion thats trying to gain an unfair advantage, and the most important consideration I did not know what this new ball was like, it might have been unsafe, flat too hard. Coaches were not happy and said they just wanted to keep thing going. I am sure I was in my right to do this until the original ball had been retreived. I also had a spare match ball which had been checked by me before KO.
