SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Girls Varsity Soccer mr heise, a question maybe you could help clarify

ok...I know that the referees have the official time on their watches and we're always told to play until the final whistle...well, I was wondering if someone were to score a goal, and when it hits the back of the net the ref blows the whistle should it be counted as a goal if he were to acknowledge the fact that time had already expired and it was his mistake that he didn't blow the whistle?

Maybe! the Ref added extra time! due to injuries.
As a adult Ref I always add extra time due to stoppage time. If you have 2-5 players down during 40-45 min play it does add up in extra playing minutes! Did you ask the Ref after the game why!

you misunderstood my question above...the goal was scored, hit the net, and then the ref blew the whistle. He then claimed it was not counted because time had expired. I understand that stoppage time is added. It has to be. Now how can he take away a goal that maybe was scored after his stoppage had run out, but he clearly didn't blow the whistle until after it was scored, making it his own mistake in the first place...the players should not be penalized for this i don't believe

This year at Lake City, the ref blew the whistle after a shot was taken on a break away. The ball Then crossed the goal line untouched by anyone. He counted it! No one really stopped play, and the goal did not decide the game. I think He should have waited to blow the whistle until after the goal, or until someone actually touched the ball. A ref never really looks at his watch when he blows the whistle anyway. I assume they look at their watch and then count the final seconds in their heads. What does the rule book say?

usc2914

I see now! yes you are right GOOOAAAALLLLLLL.
That would have been my decision,Look at basketball games 3 points samething!.

That would be like blowing the whistle on a PK shot.And that ref decision,Did it decide the game end result.

And I bet it was a HS 2 sideline Ref game!
Maybe a exp HS Ref would give us more input on that decicion and the rules.

Come-on Ref BRUCE from Sumter, you no the rules like the back of you hand. We need you help on this one!

actually it did not decide the game, but it was an extremely intense game between the #1 and #3 ranked teams in the state at the time. In the final minutes one team broke the tie and scored two quick goals, but this goal was scored immediately after and it just seemed that it should have been counted so that the quality of play of the losing team definitely could have been seen, because they deserved some kind of recognition for it...a 2 goal loss seems so much like a blow out and that's not how the game was at all

In High School soccer there is no added time as there is in Club games. The clock is stopped each time there is a goal scored, an injury or a booking. Unlike USSF refereed games where the clock is a running clock and the referee adds time at the end of each half to make up for injuries, etc.

As to your question about should the goal count. If the referee blows the whistle before the ball crosses the goal line between the posts and under the cross bar it is not a goal. If it does cross before the whistle is blown it is a goal.

As to the last post regarding a goal counting because a 2 goal margin of victory did not reflect the true nature of the game. It is not up to the referee to make such decisions. The referee is there to enforce the laws of the game and ensure the player safety.

If the referee disallowed a goal after it crossed the goal line because of expired time but sounded his whistle after the ball was in the back of the net, all he did was undermine any credibility he has as a referee.

Le Coach
Why do you post in the middle of the night? THis is just a question not a rip or attack I am just curious? It is a little scary.

If there is no injury time added in high school soccer, why do they stop it at 2 minutes?

The scoreboard clock is stopped at 2 minutes because it is not the official clock. The time is kept by a ref on the field. If our scoreboard clock goes to 0 a horn automatically sounds which would disrupt the game. We've had that happen at other locations.