Goals That Never Were
Was it just over the line? There are plenty of examples of close calls where the referee and his assistant have to make a split second decision on whether the ball has crept over the line. Here are three of the best refereeing howlers.
1. 15th August 2009. Freddie Sears hooks his shot into the back of the net for Crystal Palace against Bristol City and while he wheels away to celebrate referee Rob Shoebridge inexplicably awards a goal-kick even after consulting with his linesman. To make matters worse for Neil Warnock Bristol City went on to score the winner in the 89th minute.
2. 6 September 1980. Crytal Palace have previous with phantom goals. During Palace’s 3-1 away defeat to Coventry City, Allen, who had already scored earlier in the game, was fouled just outside the Coventry penalty area. Allen took the free-kick himself, which flew into the top corner and thumped against the right-hand stanchion and appeared to hit the net before flying back out again. After much arguing and consulting with his linesman, the referee decided that the goal did not count.
3. February 1993. This one just about takes the biscuit as far as dreadful refereeing decisions go. Les Mottram failed to notice Dundee’s shot had come back from the inside stanchion against Partick Thistle. Worse still, he didn’t even notice Partick defender Martin Clark calmly catching the ball and handing it back to goalkeeper Andy Murdoch to restart play. Mottram went on to be picked by the Scottish FA to referee in the 1994 World Cup the following year.
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