So I was refereeing a U12s match last Sunday. It was between two very good (not academy level, but generally accepted as the best in the amateur league), teams, who are both fairly well known in the local area. It was a 60 minute game because it was U12 9v9, between “orange” and “white”. White were winning 3 - 1 with 10 minutes to go. Then, white number 9 breaks past the defence and is left essentially 1v1 with the keeper, although was being chased by an orange player (no.4) who was clearly not their best player and had come on as a substitute. Orange number 4 then attempted a very late sliding tackle, with excessive force, from behind, just outside the penalty area. Luckily they completely missed white 9, and I allowed play to continue, with him scoring just seconds later.
This got me thinking afterwards though, what would have been my reaction if the player had been brought down and potentially injured by the sliding tackle. My immediate reaction in the moment would probably have been to reach for the red, however I realised afterwards that orange 4 was so clearly way behind everyone else playing in terms of skill, concentration, and pace. It got me wondering, would sending off this player, who had just been put on by the manager to get game time without risking the score line, be “in the spirit of the game”? I know it’s technically a sending off offence, and in the moment I’d have probably acted in strict accordance with the LotG, but I’d like to hear what others who have worked at a similar level in the past would have done.
This got me thinking afterwards though, what would have been my reaction if the player had been brought down and potentially injured by the sliding tackle. My immediate reaction in the moment would probably have been to reach for the red, however I realised afterwards that orange 4 was so clearly way behind everyone else playing in terms of skill, concentration, and pace. It got me wondering, would sending off this player, who had just been put on by the manager to get game time without risking the score line, be “in the spirit of the game”? I know it’s technically a sending off offence, and in the moment I’d have probably acted in strict accordance with the LotG, but I’d like to hear what others who have worked at a similar level in the past would have done.