As we all do multiple age groups and many work in multiple leagues, sometimes it's hard to keep track of how long halfs should be...actually, it's very easy to keep track, sometimes we just mess up. In a local league, the administration in their infinite wisdom has decided that U19 matches will only have 40 minute halfs. During the first weekend of play, an experienced referee played out the first half of his first match for 45 minutes plus stoppage. It was pointed out to him at halftime that the halfs were only supposed to be 40 minutes. Should the referee play the 2nd half at 45 minutes (keeping the halfs at equal length) or should he play the 2nd half according to the rules of the competition? Scott
While I doubt the administration has infinite wisdom, they probably set the time for 40 minute halves so they start a new game every 1 1/2 hours. This will give each team 5 minutes to get ready and allow for a 5 minute halftime break. So, I say play the second half with 35 minutes.
The laws say two "equal periods", so dropping the second period to 35 would not be fair, or permitted within the laws. One could, however, play the second period for 40, and consider that the first half was also 40, with time allowed for injury plus 5 minutes added to compensate for the great void in the time space continuum, which you will note is covered under Law 7, Allowance for Time Lost, item 5, so you are within both your powers and the Laws of the Game. Sherman
Well, I knew the 35 minute option would be wrong anyway. BTW, if you ever get into the situation where you find out if you played a first half too short (35 minutes but was supposed to be 40), you should call both teams back from their benches to finish the 1st half. If you don't discover the problem until you have started the 2nd half, I believe you have to abandon the match...this gives assignors FITS!!!! Scott
Play the second half at the same length as the first (45 minutes in this case). List it in the match report. Let the league sort it out. Another reason to "check your local rules". Apply the same theory. Equal length halves and let the league deal with it.
Whatever you decide to do, make sure you let the teams know before you start the second half. You don't need their blessings, but they are entitled to know the conditions of the game they are playing.
High school soccer states all games are to be played with 40 minute halves and a 10 minute halftime. The Varsity teams always play first, followed by the JV. However at the start of the season we are not into daylight savings time. As a result the JV games can never be finished before it gets too dark. Rather than playing a full 40 minute first half and then stopping 15 minutes into the second and terminating the game (only one half must be played for the score to count), everybody agrees to play for 30 minute halves. This isn't the rule, but that's what we do. Our situation follows the same logic as this one. Halves should be equal length in time or it wouldn't be fair to one of the teams. Especially if the sun is in one goalkeeper's eyes in the first half, but then the other team's goalkeeper never has that disadvantage due to a short half. Fields never have 100% perfect symmetry (sp?), which is the whole reason to switch sides in the first place. Take that away and now the game is in disrepute. A non-arguable claim would be made: "If we had the extra 5 minutes on that half like the other team, we would have scored the winning goal."
I would argue that. If the game ended on time they wouldn't have scored against us. Not only that, but your argument is the very reason I said the the second half should only be 35 minutes; so the last game won't have to be shortened due to darkness. Sometimes rulebooks have to be put away and just use a little common sense.
Re: Re: 1st half played too long This is what I would do too. 40 min second half and state the first half went 45 minutes due to stoppages.
So then two wrongs make a right? And now every team following is delayed even more? I'm with Boydreilly here, sometimes the ref needs to let common sense override an overly strict interpretation of the rules
Well, since your bending the rules beyond comprehension, why not just do the second half 35 minutes and say the first half went to 45 minutes due to stoppage.
No bending here. Law 7 says two equal periods. The spirit is that each team is entitled to a full measure of play in each direction. Law 7 also tells us that allowances must be made for time lost. Law 5 tells us that the referee is the timekeeper. We may not shorten the second period just because the first went long, even if it was because the refree had a five minute memory lapse, his watch malfunctioned, or any other reason. This is not to say that there are not situations where a match is terminated early due to darkness and weather, but this is not a complete match and this would have to be included in your match report. In a high level, even if terminated a minute early, the game would have to be replayed in its entirety. At the youth and amature levels, whether the match is to be replayed is a matter for the competition authorities.
I think I'm with whipple. The other teams can take the extra ten minutes to warm-up, for all I care. That game's not my responsibility. Tell the linesman that you're going to go long, and go to 45 minutes. Usually I'm not that strict with the rules, but I play too, so I want the most amount of time I can get. Either way, the insanity of last-minute crush starts around 35. Prof
Re: Re: 1st half played too long So then by your logic, if the referee in a WC Final loses track of time and allows play for 55 minutes in the first half, he is obligated to allow 55 minutes of play in the 2nd? Regardless of the effect of the final ten minutes on the outcome or level of play, because let's face it, the chances of a game altering mistake between the 100th and 110th minute would be fairly high. And then there is no level of mistake that allows for a referee to do anything other than multiplying that mistake? And to ProfZodiac, I'd say that if a second game is delayed because of your mistake, then that delay is very much your responsibility.
I don't think there is a correct answer. The laws don't say what to when we don't follow them. I think the best answer depends on the situation. Do you have the time (next game, darkness, personal commitment, etc.) to add additional time? Are there weather conditions, such as extreme cold or hot, rain, sleet, etc., that would provide a reason to do a shorter second half? Are there team issues that should be considered - like one team has no subs and the other team has eight subs that have been subbing freely? Or is one team already up by 6 goals? You have to determine what would be fairest for all concerned - including the following 6:00 game. If questioned by one or both coaches, I would probably discuss my plan with them. Otherwise, I would just decide with my ARs, and live with it. I actually had something like this happen last week in a Freshman game. Freshman games are generally 30 minute halves. The AD put up 35 minutes on the clock. We played a 35 minute first half, and a 30 minute second half. We just reffed, and the kids played. (if they can play 40 minute halves in club, they can surely handle 35 minutes for their school).
Re: Re: Re: 1st half played too long No, that is not what I am saying at all. The game is played with two equal periods plus allowances for time lost. In the WC the periods are 45 minutes. If the first period goes 55 irrespective of cause, the second will still be, at a minimum 45. As a practical matter, only the referee knows why it went over. It could be that he lost track of time, I have done that a few times myself, but our job is to ensure that the players get their full time at each end. Remember that there are specific aspects of the game that can be modified at the youth level and by the rules of competition, of which the duration of play is one, but not the requirement for equal periods of regulation time. This is why, if you do run into a situation where you have no choice and cannot complete the second period, the game has not been completed. Rather it has terminated and the referee must provide a match report to the competition authorities. They will then make the decision to allow the game to stand or replay it, it is not ours to make. I have encoutered this situation many times, both in my own games and as an assignor/administrator. It is not like it is a big deal. There is nothing wrong with terminating a game due to weather, darkness or even because it is running late and the little league comes in and throws you off, because they have a permit that says it is their field now.
Re: Re: Re: 1st half played too long Perhaps I was misunderstood. Yes, the delay is my fault, but not my responsibility, unless I'm refereeing that game as well. When I was younger, I would shorten halves (both equally) to account for long games. Now, I let the games after go later. It's not my problem. It's my fault. It's not fair to the kids that I ref to shorten their game because of an earlier blunder, IMHO. The kids came to play, I'm going to let them play. It's usually not even a competitive game anyway. For whatever reason, it seems that most kids games aren't close. Prof
If the rules of the competition state that each half lasts 40 minutes and you played 45 minutes during the first half, you must still play only 40 minutes second half. You always play the regualtion time each half, no matter if you added time by mistake.