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#Post#: 112104--------------------------------------------------
Incorrect application of the penalty kick law…..
DIR By: UmpireIan49
Date: September 24, 2026, 12:55 pm
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A match I watched on Saturday between Woodford Town and
Mulbarton in the FA Cup qualifying rounds has been ordered to be
replayed by the FA after a controversial and incorrect
disallowance of a penalty kick.
Midway through the first half, Woodford were awarded a penalty
and it was a fair enough decision. Woodford scored the goal and
went 1-0 up….except…..
There was a long delay between the ball hitting the net and the
penalty being voided. There was a long conference between
referee and assistant and the penalty voided. The referee
awarded Mulbarton an indirect free kick.
No one knew why the penalty was voided and it was only today,
reading a follow up post to my original post on Pyramid Patrol
that the explanation was given.
There was encroachment by the Woodford players but according to
the officials, it was impactful. An indirect free kick followed.
Instead it should have been a retake.
Woodford appealed the incorrect application of the laws and the
FA have ordered the match to be replayed next Tuesday. Mulbarton
aren’t happy but the FA’s decision stands.
An incorrect application of the laws in any sport is a big no
no. Laws in any sport should be known forwards, backwards and
sideways alongside their application. To get that wrong is
unforgivable really for an FA qualified referee who officiates
at a decent level.
What do our esteemed correspondents think?
#Post#: 112107--------------------------------------------------
Re: Incorrect application of the penalty kick law…..
DIR By: rustyref
Date: September 24, 2026, 2:56 pm
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--- Quote from: UmpireIan49 link ---
>
> A match I watched on Saturday between Woodford Town and
Mulbarton in the FA Cup qualifying rounds has been ordered to be
replayed by the FA after a controversial and incorrect
disallowance of a penalty kick.
>
> Midway through the first half, Woodford were awarded a penalty
and it was a fair enough decision. Woodford scored the goal and
went 1-0 up….except…..
>
> There was a long delay between the ball hitting the net and
the penalty being voided. There was a long conference between
referee and assistant and the penalty voided. The referee
awarded Mulbarton an indirect free kick.
>
> No one knew why the penalty was voided and it was only today,
reading a follow up post to my original post on Pyramid Patrol
that the explanation was given.
>
> There was encroachment by the Woodford players but according
to the officials, it was impactful. An indirect free kick
followed. Instead it should have been a retake.
>
> Woodford appealed the incorrect application of the laws and
the FA have ordered the match to be replayed next Tuesday.
Mulbarton aren’t happy but the FA’s decision stands.
>
> An incorrect application of the laws in any sport is a big no
no. Laws in any sport should be known forwards, backwards and
sideways alongside their application. To get that wrong is
unforgivable really for an FA qualified referee who officiates
at a decent level.
>
> What do our esteemed correspondents think?
>
--- End Quote ---
There is precedence for this, it will always result in a replay.
All 4 officials will almost certainly be having a three week
break as a result.
There really is no excuse for it, this will have been L3 and L4
officials and for not one of them to know that the law had been
incorrectly applied is inexcusable.
#Post#: 112116--------------------------------------------------
Re: Incorrect application of the penalty kick law…..
DIR By: Lanyardhater
Date: September 24, 2026, 5:02 pm
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If the match has been declared null and void, I don’t understand
why the new match is going to take place at Mulbarton rather
than being re-convened at Woodford. Is this normal practice?
It just seems odd to my sense of logic.
#Post#: 112121--------------------------------------------------
Re: Incorrect application of the penalty kick law…..
DIR By: Acme Thunderer
Date: September 25, 2026, 3:07 am
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Pardon my ignorance but how can the encroachment be 'impactful'
under current laws, unless the encroaching Woodford player
actually got involved with scoring the goal or assisting the
scoring of the goal, for example following the ball rebounding
off post or goalie? If a Woodford player obstructed an opponent
during the taking of the penalty, then fair enough with the
indirect free kick, but this does not appear to have happened in
this instance.
#Post#: 112134--------------------------------------------------
Re: Incorrect application of the penalty kick law…..
DIR By: SteveB
Date: September 25, 2026, 9:47 am
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Does this only apply to Cup matches, or should last season’s
game between Rochdale and Scunthorpe should have been replayed
following Darren Drysdale’s error?
#Post#: 112136--------------------------------------------------
Re: Incorrect application of the penalty kick law…..
DIR By: rustyref
Date: September 25, 2026, 10:57 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: SteveB link ---
>
> Does this only apply to Cup matches, or should last season’s
game between Rochdale and Scunthorpe should have been replayed
following Darren Drysdale’s error?
>
--- End Quote ---
Depends whether it was an incorrect decision or a decision that
was incorrect in law, they are two very different things.
#Post#: 112141--------------------------------------------------
Re: Incorrect application of the penalty kick law…..
DIR By: AFAref
Date: September 25, 2026, 1:19 pm
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Rusty - Do you remember when a Spartan South Midland League
fixture had to be replayed for misapplication of law?
I had a keeper DOGSO their very next game and it was the most
nervous I'd been issuing a red card
#Post#: 112143--------------------------------------------------
Re: Incorrect application of the penalty kick law…..
DIR By: rustyref
Date: September 25, 2026, 1:38 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: AFAref link ---
>
> Rusty - Do you remember when a Spartan South Midland League
fixture had to be replayed for misapplication of law?
>
> I had a keeper DOGSO their very next game and it was the most
nervous I'd been issuing a red card
>
--- End Quote ---
Yes, Edgware Town wasn't it?
#Post#: 112144--------------------------------------------------
Re: Incorrect application of the penalty kick law…..
DIR By: AFAref
Date: September 25, 2026, 2:42 pm
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Indeed it was
#Post#: 112147--------------------------------------------------
Re: Incorrect application of the penalty kick law…..
DIR By: Ref25
Date: September 25, 2026, 4:21 pm
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Quite frankly, it’s an inexcusable error from all 4 officials on
the match. Somebody has to challenge what is happening and make
sure the correct outcome is reached. I recommend, particularly
where there is a 4th official, they have a small card / sheet
with the penalty kick outcomes table and any other ‘tricky’ bits
of the law written down to refer to if needs be.
The hyperbole of “dangerous precedent” from people online irks
me. I wish people would understand what they are saying. The
implication is this hasn’t happened before - but it has: Edgware
Town v Harefield United (2006). I’m not aware of a replay being
ordered for the same matter since, so the first instance hardly
opened Pandora’s Box.
People crowing that this will lead to clubs appealing every
wrong decision are also nonsense. This is about referees
incorrectly applying the outcome to identified offences where
there is zero room for interpretation. There also has to be a
significant impact on the match. Other instances where replays
have been ordered:
• Sin Bins being applied by the referee when they are not in
operation.
• Non-equalisation of players for a penalty shoot out.
• Incorrect number of substitution opportunities
All of these are where they are in no way opinion based
judgements. A lot of people have said about Man Utd v Man City
and the VAR issue with Haaland’s goal. That is a massive error,
but one on opinion about whether there was an offside offence.
The Norwich v West Brom goal with a hand - clearly wrong, but
the officials didn’t see it hit the hand and knowingly give the
goal.
I’ve also seen two other matches referenced:
Newcastle United v Burton Albion (2017). The decision went
against Newcastle United but they won the game. So likely didn’t
protest.
Rochdale v Scunthorpe United (2026). The match finished 1-1, but
Rochdale (the team suffering detriment) didn’t protest the
result. Might have been a different story if they had lost.
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