So I had a fairly contentious incident on Saturday that I wouldn't mind some input on.
Home team is defending an attack and manage to get the ball out, but the clearance is horribly sliced. It just about goes out for a throw, but then spins dramatically backwards and over a fence into the adjacent field behind the goal. Give that I could still see the ball in the next field, I knew there was a gate through into that field and the other match ball had popped within the first 5 minutes of the match, I have no problem with one of the attacking team players running round to get the ball rather than forcing them to try and find another spare. Ball is thrown back over to an attacking player by the corner flag and the "fetcher" starts to jog back.
My question essentially, is what am I obliged to do here with respect to the player jogging back? Am I obliged to wave him back on? Given it's his team that has the ball, can I allow them to restart without him if they want to? And if I do, are there any limits on when he can then come back on?
Home team is defending an attack and manage to get the ball out, but the clearance is horribly sliced. It just about goes out for a throw, but then spins dramatically backwards and over a fence into the adjacent field behind the goal. Give that I could still see the ball in the next field, I knew there was a gate through into that field and the other match ball had popped within the first 5 minutes of the match, I have no problem with one of the attacking team players running round to get the ball rather than forcing them to try and find another spare. Ball is thrown back over to an attacking player by the corner flag and the "fetcher" starts to jog back.
My question essentially, is what am I obliged to do here with respect to the player jogging back? Am I obliged to wave him back on? Given it's his team that has the ball, can I allow them to restart without him if they want to? And if I do, are there any limits on when he can then come back on?