Championship - No replay for 'phantom' goal match

Eurosport - Tue, 23 Sep 11:08:00 2008

The Football League have announced that the 2-2 draw between Reading and Watford which featured a 'phantom' goal will not be replayed.

FOOTBALL: Reading manager Steve Coppell - 0

Linesman Nigel Bannister flagged for a goal instead of a corner when the ball crossed the goal-line well wide of the post during a goalmouth scramble from a corner at Vicarage Road.

Referee Stuart Attwell, who became the Premier League's youngest official last month at the age of 25, awarded a goal despite not a single Reading player appealing or celebrating the 'strike', which at the time was accredited to John Eustace as an own goal.

The match finished 2-2, denying Watford all three points.

Andy Williamson, the League's chief opperating officer, said: "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".

On Monday, Reading boss Steve Coppell (pictured) admitted he was willing to replay the match after reviewing the evidence.

"If the authorities decide a replay is the correct thing to do then I've got no objections whatsoever.

"I'm not sure there's a precedent but if that's what people decide then I am quite happy to do it.

"We don't want to be seen to be taking advantage of anything.

"I have sympathy with Watford and I really don't know what to say to make it right.

"But if the Football League phone me now and say something was definitely wrong I'm happy to go along with it."

The decision has been roundly condemned as the worst decision seen on a football pitch, a view backed up by Reading midfielder Stephen Hunt even though he has retained some sympathy for the officials.

Hunt said: "It was a screamer! No, it was probably the worst decision I have ever witnessed.

"We can't do anything about it. It's not our mistake, but what can you do? You can't say 'no ref, it wasn't in'.

"He seemed all right. He's a young referee. But after this he'll probably be sitting at home next week. I've had him before and he's been all right.

"It was just a bad day at the office. He talks, he respects you and you respect him. I can understand Watford's frustration, but everyone makes mistakes."

Mike Hytner / Eurosport

Comment 49 - 68 of 68

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  1. if someone gets a penalty but they wasnt actually­ fouled surely they got a goal that shouldnt be a goal.­ You dont hear of that being replayed nor do you have­ people going on about it. If Reading should of let­ Watford score then everytime a penalty is scored thats­ not really a penalty ie diving then the other team­ should be aloud to go and score.

    From martin.gibbs1981, on Tue 23 Sep 5:16PM

  2. The FA has rules that cover this clearly, NOT this ball­ was not even in the goalmouth area and by what the FA­ are saying if the referree gave a goal then it stands,­ say if the ball was in the centre circle it would­ stand, surely that cannot be correct can it!? Can we­ have rules to cover the uncoverable. Watford should­ either be given 3 points or a replay, Reading also have­ a responsibility in this as they should have given­ Watford a goal back, and to think they spend millions­ promoting fair play!

    From ANDREW SMITH, on Tue 23 Sep 5:02PM

  3. Stuart Attwell,Nigel Bannister,should have gone to­ Specsavers!

    From alntaylor, on Tue 23 Sep 11:11AM

  4. The responsibility for this obviou @#$% up lies clearly­ with Reading players and Manager.
    They should have­ agreed to score in their own goal following the­ restart.
    Its a pity that 'sportsmanship' is an­ old fashioned word in the game, or any game these­ days(except snooker).When there is an obvious mistake­ made by the official the other side should have acted­ and done the right thing, not any more it seams.­ Another example of too much at stake in sport, and­ another nail in the coffin of Professional football!.

    From alntaylor, on Tue 23 Sep 10:53AM

  5. The FA was able 2 squash down the Red Card for­ Terry,what is wrong in replaying this match?Thats Y the­ FA sucks it only makes foolish decisions wen the team­ they are supporting is in danger of losing.Abash the­ Rotten Body Called FA.

    From pmm, on Tue 23 Sep 10:04AM

  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.

    From Ronsenglish, on Tue 23 Sep 5:32AM

  7. 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.

    From Ronsenglish, on Tue 23 Sep 5:29AM

  8. "We can't do anything about it. It's not­ our mistake, but what can you do? You can't say­ 'no ref, it wasn't in'.

    Yes you can­ say...no ref, it wasn't in. It's called being­ honest.

    Simple.

    Integrity. Not a common occurence in­ football or sadly life.

    From Tom P, on Tue 23 Sep 3:11AM

  9. Once there is a kick off nothing can change. sucks it­ happened and the FA should replay the match but . . .­ those are the breaks.

    From Dan, on Tue 23 Sep 2:25AM

  10. The referee's decision is FINAL. Those are the­ rules, like them or not. Just think how many games have­ been decided on incorrect decisions. This game is no­ different. How many times are batsmen given out LBW or­ caught behind when they weren't? One has to accept­ the Laws of the Games or don't play/watch. End of­ story. Now move on.

    From Sussex BY The Sea, on Tue 23 Sep 2:18AM

  11. Derek B - it's only Luton.

    From Charlie G, on Tue 23 Sep 12:54AM

  12. obviously we need more indepentant­ adjudicators...........................i suggest maybe­ about 35000 per match......all sitting around the­ pitch................when an incident happens all­ should register an opinion to the main referee and­ after a long drawn out legal inquiry a deciscion should­ be made.

    From gldn_boy04, on Tue 23 Sep 12:17AM

  13. Who cares?? It's only Watford. What about the­ injustice suffered by Luton having 30 points docked­ before a ball is kicked?

    From Derek B, on Mon 22 Sep 11:47PM

  14. It wasnt a goal. It wasn't a goal. It wasnt a goal.­ It wasn't a goal. It wasnt a goal. It wasn't a­ goal. It wasnt a goal. It wasn't a goal. It wasnt a­ goal. It wasn't a goal. It wasnt a goal. It­ wasn't a goal. It wasnt a goal. It wasn't a­ goal. It wasnt a goal. It wasn't a goal. How hard­ can it be. Ask any kid. It wasnt a goal.

    From Peter, on Mon 22 Sep 10:52PM

  15. I don't understand your point, AH. The ball did not­ go between the sticks, so the goalline technology would­ not be activated. So... it would work.

    From maxwellschmid, on Mon 22 Sep 10:30PM

  16. well this is were goal line technology would prove­ useless since the ball did not cross between the­ sticks. They should put additional assistants out, 1­ behind each goal.

    From alihatefi, on Mon 22 Sep 9:51PM

  17. The match should have been made void and­ replayed,absolute tits at f.a cost me my­ accumalator.£7600 if watford had won,alot less if match­ void but something is better than nothing.And talking­ of tits,how is mike riley allowed to referee,it wasnt a­ dirty game at all chelsea v man u but he ruined it for­ me,i'm a liverpool fan but have to say there wasnt­ one tackle worthy of a booking in that game!Get rid of­ him!!!!!

    From Kev70, on Mon 22 Sep 9:45PM

  18. Would Reading give Watford their away goal back by­ letting them score unhindered during the return­ fixture, or is that illegal?

    From frogprince08, on Mon 22 Sep 9:44PM

  19. It's down to the Captain to address the issue with­ the ref on the pitch.

    From frogprince08, on Mon 22 Sep 9:40PM

  20. the FA are a bunch of over paid twats who do not know­ anything about football. this decision to back the ref­ is not in par with the J.Terry red card where they­ relegated the ref to a 2nd div match and let terry play­ against utd.

    From willwebb59, on Mon 22 Sep 9:23PM
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