view photoLONDON (Reuters) - Watford's league match against Reading will not be replayed despite the match officials awarding Reading a goal that they never scored.
The Football League, which runs the Championship (second division) said on Monday the result of Saturday's match, which ended in a 2-2 draw at Vicarage Road, would stand and there were no plans to replay the game.
Andy Williamson, the League's chief operating officer, said in a statement that the decision of referee Stuart Attwell to award the goal after linesman Nigel Bannister flagged for a goal rather than a corner, must remain final.
"The Laws of the Game give no discretion in these matters -- the referee's decision regarding whether a goal is scored or not is final and binding. Given this explicit position, the League cannot intervene," Williamson said.
Reading manager Steve Coppell said earlier on Monday he would be happy to replay the game after the linesman flagged for a goal after 13 minutes although the ball had drifted four metres wide of the goal.
Most of the players and crowd thought referee Attwell, at 25 the youngest referee in the league, had blown for a goal-kick or corner and were stunned when he pointed to the centre circle.
"I have seen it and my conclusion is that it obviously wasn't right," Coppell told the club's website (www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk).
"If the authorities decide a replay is the correct thing to do then I've got no objections whatsoever."
Reading's Stephen Hunt, whose corner was clearly deflected wide by Watford defender John Eustace, said after the game: "It was probably the worst decision I have ever witnessed in football."
Paul Rejer of the Professional Game Match Officials Board, which is responsible for match officials, told Watford's website (www.watfordfc.com): "It appears a mistake has been made. It will be reviewed by us. The assistant referee gave the goal and from his position and angle it appeared the ball had crossed the line for a goal. He has made a human error."
(Editing by Justin Palmer and Sonia Oxley)
Comment 1 - 6 of 6
Refs must be culpable. Living overseas I get all my football on the box and watch the German, Spanish and Italian football as well as the English Premiership highlights. I can't understand the poor quality and lack of consistency shown by English refs, if you refereed a game in Italy like this the fraud squad would be checking you out and you would have questions to answer, why aren’t referees responsible for their poor decisions that can cost clubs millions in lost revenue, something stinks. Overseas commentators are always bemused and replay over and over all the controversial refereeing decisions that happen weekly in the premiership and imply the ref is on the take. Why can’t a club, a player or a manager criticize bad refereeing and bad decisions? Why does the FA usually support bad refereeing blindly and not right obvious wrongs? Offend a ref and you get a booking, end a players career or sideline him for months and months and you get a booking where's the justice in that?
All refs should be above reproach and reveal their earnings and justify their assets.
Sweet F*A* !!!
Its just typical,the FA are a law unto them selves,someone should be investigating how this is run,a ref made a clear mistake,that cost one team 2 points,if that team goes down ,then that game can be called into question,i think it sucks @#$%,and there needs to be an overhaul of reffs once and for all. And also there needs to be someone to oversee the running of the FA
its all about money in sport the more you have the more clout you have football f1 all sport is the same it should be renamed for it has nothing to do with sport anymore.arson whinger would not see a tank on the field if it helped him but can see things other wise
the p.r.i.c.s. at the FA can rescind a red card to john terry but dont whant to do anything about a phantom goal at reading whats goin on...im sure united scored another goal yesterday..
Specsavers might help!
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