HS Var. boys game. as an AR, I am inline with the last defenders [all 3 in line and all 3 watching the ball and backs toward the goal], about at the 6 yard line. the attacker is about 5 feet off. ball comes in at the far post, attacker moves back towards the defenders, my flag goes up. ball then goes in the net. center blows. I am correct so far. however later I find that it was a defender who headed the ball into his own net. the center was on the far side [as he should have been] and was probably 10 feet from play. should the center have allowed the goal, as the attacker, while in an offside position, was not disrupting play, and it was a defender who actually touched the ball? [keeper was on the goal line, so there was most of 6 yards between the attacker and the keeper-to my notion, not enuf to be called interfering] thoughts? thanks Rod in AZ
From your description it sounds like your flag might have gone up a little too soon and you should have wait-and-seed. As for the center, no way he can allow a goal on a ball that goes in the net after he's blown the whistle. Have to live with the call. HTBT to know whether your flag was a good one or not though. Many variables.
The key question as to whether he CAN is alluded to above: did the whistle blow before or after the while ball crossed the while goal line. If the whistle blew after, then nothing prevents him from waving off the OS and awarding the goal. If the whistle blew before, the only options are to keep the OS call or have a dropped ball. While it appears LIKELY that it was not actually an OS offense, but I can’t tell if the OSP player interferes with the defender who put the ball into the goal in a way that would constitute interfering with an opponent in Law 11. Did he challenge that defender for the header? If so, it would be an OS offense.
Socal you are correct, I misread (which is not unusual, even most of the way thru a dry January. Heck, maybe because I'm most of the way thru a dry January.) Assuming ball crossed goal line before the whistle, AR should statue, center and AR confer and sort it out, and allow or disallow the goal according to what they decide the facts were. Given that, it sounds more likely than not that the flag was premature and the goal should stand. Be prepared to deal with a very unhappy coach either way.
As far as allowing the goal. If the whistle came after the ball has crossed the goal line then he should give the goal. If it was blown before then I would suggest a drop ball at the 6. It sounds like your flag was too early. When this happens again wait and see and if you have any doubt just stand still when the goal is scored.
The way I I am reading this, is that the question surrounds whether the attacker interfered with the goalkeeper while in an offside position, and not whether The attacker got involved in the play. If that is the case, then the flag is premature and unfortunately incorrect. But, it is something that will happen in a dynamic play like that. Advice given above, about standing like a statue, And if needed calling the Referee over to discuss the play would be proper. You can always take a goal back, but You can’t take a whistle back. Patience on a play like that is hard to do. Your first instinct is nearly always to go with the offside.
I'm confused. You say you were correct to call the player offside but then say that the attacker was not interfering in play. So, why were you correct?
Good question, and just to take it back to basics — OP, you do understand that your flag does not necessarily go up just because an attacker is in offside position when the ball is played forward and he moves toward play, yes? You understand "wait and see?"
In the OPs defense, the referee should have waved down the flag, if he saw that a defender last played it. But, at the risk of piling on, the OP also should not have raised his flag until he was certain that the PIOSP was interfering with play ("wait and see", as others have suggested). A quick review of recommended AR actions, when the ball enters the goal: If the AR thinks the goal should be allowed, run up the touchline. If the player who scored the goal was offside, then raise the flag Otherwise, do not run up the line, stand in place, confer w/R (hopefully the R noticed the lack of confirmation) on whether the PIOSP interfered with play or resolve what other reason you may have to disallow the goal.
thanks for all the opinions. I live in a small town a long ways from anything. and the edu. I get is here on difficult situations is most valuable to me. what I meant about the call being correct, was that, in the dark, it looked like the attacker headed the ball. it was not till much later that I found that the defender actually headed the ball. the attacker and the keeper were at different posts, so nothing there. HS games are hard as there is usually 5 or 6 bodies around the ball in the 6. when the attacker moved back towards the ball, I made the call. I dont remember when the whistle blew. I still think the center should have done something different. another learning experience. thanks again. Rod in AZ.
Not to mention that on a lot of HS fields it's pretty dim there in the goal under the "lights," and close to pitch dark in the corners.