Without reading all the posts, anyone ANY idea what on earth that pen was for?!

A free-kick from 25 yards sails over the bar... a penalty results.

Absolutely, completely and utterly baffling... as anyone listening to the commentary would have gathered!

If it'd been a league game I'd have been furious, as it was I just had to laugh.

 

Here in Norway in the last league match between Stabæk and Vålerenga. The referee first, did not give Vålerenga penalty after Stabæks goalkeeper tackled a Vålerenga. player. Minutes after that Vålerenga was not given a freekick after one of their players was tackled, cause they still had the ball. But when Stabæk cleared it the referee blowed for a freekick for Vålerenga. Seconds after that Vålerenga was given penalty after they had run down Stabæks goalkeeper.

 

did you also think he'd given a corner?

He DEFINETLY pointed to the corner flag, even his linesman pointed to the flag

 

Well...

At first I thought he'd given a corner, despite the fact it was nowhere near hitting the wall...

Then I thought he'd given an indirect free kick in the area - though for what God knows...

Then I thought he'd given a penalty...

But 30 seconds later there were still 15 players in the box so I'd completely no idea.

Then saw Colgan look fecked off and assumed it was a penalty... and it was.

Even the Wigan bench were p!$$ing themselves laughing.

Shame I had to rush off after the game else I'd have asked the ref, seeing as I spent a while showing his son round the press area and that before the game and at half time.

Fortunately he wants to be a sports commentator not a referee!

 

Anyone?!

 

RE: Anyone?!

Dont know which player it was but the free kick hit his arm and deflected over the bar, the ref pointed at his arm which was pointing in the direction of the corner flag. Very strange but who ever the player was jumped with his arm raised so the ref gave a pen.

 

RE: Anyone?!

i've been on a wigan forum and they have a picture from the star that shows the ball hitting howard's hand.
i was baffled too until i saw that pic

 

Handball l think.....

seemed to be indicating someone in the wall.

 

so the ref failed to get the basics of his job right then and instead of indicating what decision he had made he simply pointed at a player. Shouldn't be doing the job if he doesn't know the basics of refereeing.

 

RE: Handball l think.....

this?

 

I meant he pointed at his own outstretched arm not a players then he walked to the pen spot and pointed towards the goal indicating a pen.

 

but he still shouldn't point to his own outstretched arm, he should signal what decision he has made, ie point at the penalty spot. only after that is he supposed to explain why.

 

RE: Anyone?!

If there was a handball in there he must have some eagle eyes as I don't think ANYONE else in the ground saw it.

Just seemed like a free-kick that had sailed over the bar, I never saw a deflection.

Don't always believe photos they can easily be edited...

Bear in mind that NO Wigan players appealed and their bench was actually laughing at the decision.

 

RE: Anyone?!

It definately took a deflection off the wall, whether or not it was his hand is another matter.

 

RE: Anyone?!

Personally, like most others, I didn't have the foggiest what was going on, but as it was only a friendly and the ref was reluctant to give out bookings on various occasions I'm inclined to think he had to be absolutely sure, he was much closer than any of us.

agree about the lack of proper refereeing protocol though, if he had pointed to his arm instead of the arm the ball had struck there would have at least been no confusion as to what his reasons were for awarding the penalty.

 

show us the pic nt

 

if he had pointed to the penalty spot it would have been a good starting point.

 

[img=http://www.mysporttoday.co.uk/getEdImage.aspx?ImageID=1029677]

Looks decidedly dodgy to me though, the ball appears to be a good distance in front of Howard at the time of the photo being taken. It looks to me like he is attempting to curl the ball around howard but the ball is simply going too high right from the off and by the time it would reach Howard it would be a good foot above his head.

Pretty much how it appeared last night too

 

Yep

Get the impression that in that photo the ball has only got 3/4 yards so with its trajectory would comfortably miss Howard's hand.

Maybe a good lesson to be learned though - don't jump with your hand in a wall...

 

I thought i had come off the wigan's player hand