9th ranked team in the state for girls varsity against unranked opponent (who has better record!). Very physical game, lots of whining. Not a lot of time left in first half (maybe 8 seconds), hard foul committed by the home (ranked team) giving visitors a free kick. As they set up for the kick, home player goes for the statue very late (she absolutely knows what she is doing) and I blow my whistle to pull the card and time runs out. I am not watching the scoreboard because I am watching the play, but is there anything that says I can put time on the clock. I asked my partner in the dual what he had, and he said time had run out. Visiting coach was very upset. I then explained that it wasn't basketball and they weren't going to score in the time I put back anyway. Could I have put it back? Unranked won 1-0 on very late second half goal.
I assume you're talking about NFHS. Take a look at rule 5 as it pertains to you dealing with timekeepers. We know that you are required to stop the clock to issue a card and if time runs out because of a timekeepers mistake, it is our obligation to resolve. Also, when dealing with coaches I would be careful about suggesting what will or won't happen. Crystal balls are not part of the referee equipment and if a team has earned the right to a free kick then we must allow them to take if the rules permit.
I say yes. Rule 5.3.2.i gives the referee the authority to "instruct the timer to correct the clock, when necessary." See, e.g., Play Ruling 5.3.2 Situation D.
If you know there is very little time. FIRST, give the stop the clock signal, blow the whistle and check the clock. Once the clock is stopped, you can deal with the player, the restart, and the coach(es) if necessary. If you aren't controlling the clock, you need to get control of it. I had a similar experience several years ago. AR on a Boys varsity game. Team down one goal with time running out. A hard tactical foul as the trailing team advances towards goal. The CR calls a foul, but does not give a card or stop the clock. By the time the kick was taken, time had run out.
I know this isn't "by the book" but with almost no time left you could consider stopping the clock as soon as the hard foul occurs to give a caution for the foul itself - this would prevent any FRD/DR issues, and assuming the fouling player is not already on a caution it would have no real impact on the game.
Here in southwest corner, the referee keeps official time on his own. The scoreboard clock is for uncalibrated reference only, and traditionally stops at 2:00 (and my phone rings within 15 seconds if I miss it).
Time stops when in your MIND it should have stopped. Add back whatever was left when in your mind the statue went past the misconduct threshold. Except in NFHS you are required to sub on yellow, so you are impacting the game regardless.
I worry less about the required sub on a yellow than the team leading by a goal or tied that fouls in the defending half in the last 30 seconds or so. How can it be other than tactical? (OK, it is ITOOR; but you have to consider it!) In 90% of my high school world, you have the timekeeper controlling your game clock. If you don't give the signal, blow the whistle, and check the clock as quickly as you can, the fouling team has gained an advantage.
You are not required to sub in NFHS on a caution. The cautioned player must leave the field and the team MAY substitute, but they are not required to do so. They can play short if they want. The only time I've seen that happen is with a team that only had 11 players.
Thank you. I proposed the rule change with this language, after discussion of this very topic on this site.
So the team that fouled gained an advantage (not that those few seconds would have mattered anyway), that only happens in one sport... Basketball.
Nonsense. Many soccer fouls provide an advantage to the team that commits them - recognizing that is why some tactical fouls can be a caution.