I thought I had seen it all in football with refereeing decisions but I've had one today against my U18's which has just about topped them all!
My player has made a tackle just outside the box and was probably 50/50 as to whether it was a foul or not. He maybe caught the player before the ball but it was a close one. Seen them given and not given.
Referee gives a free kick outside the box, no complaints. The opposition players are then in the refs face asking for a penalty. So he goes over and consults the linesman about the initial decision he made, lino agrees outside the box.
Then the opposition players start pointing at stud marks on the pitch inside the box claiming they were the marks made when the player made the foul!! Now the pitch was heavy and there were stud marks and slide marks all over the pitch and both inside and outside the box.
Based on the opposition players, not even their manager, pointing at a set of stud marks that could have been from any point in the game, the referee has overruled his decision and the lino's decision and awarded a penalty. I have never in all my time of playing and coaching seen anything like it.
How can you attribute one set of stud marks to a specific tackle on a heavy pitch full of stud marks in that area to give a penalty???
I very politely asked the referee for an explanation of his change of decision and the above is what he said.
Anyone else seen similar or even stranger decisions in grassroots or any other level for that matter?
