Monday 19 October 2009

Former Premiership referee says goal should never have stood

Former Premier League referee Jeff Winter has expressed his amazement that Sunderland's freak goal in Saturdays Premiership clash with Liverpool was allowed. Darren Bent's fifth minute goal deflected off a red beach ball that had been thrown onto the pitch by a Liverpool fan. Fifa rules firmly state that the goal should have been disallowed and play should have been restarted with a dropped ball.

"I'm absolutely amazed. It is basic law in football. The goal should just not have stood," said Winter in the Telegraph.

"The laws of the game state that if there's an outside interference the game has to be stopped."

"I am absolutely amazed that for a referee at that level of football, that between him, his assistant, the fourth official, they didn't see what had happened and give the correct decision."

"I try to defend referees wherever possible having been there and knowing the problems they face but, on this particular occasion, everybody's having a laugh and a joke about it, but this is far more serious in terms of the laws of the game than when the referee doesn't see the ball go over the goalline."

Referee Mike Jones has been dropped from Premiership action this weekend and will take charge at Peterborough, who entertain Scunthorpe United in the Championship. A Premier League spokesman has also confirmed the match will not be replayed despite the controversial goal.

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