Dissapointed- The goal that Never was.

[Friday's Child]

....and finally, if RFC are going to suggest that a replay is performed, then they should get on with it, before bad press looks like it has forced our hand, rather than be seen as an act of integrity.

[CMRoyal]

Have any protests against decisions that benefit your own side ever been accepted?

Paolo Di Canio? Can't remember the exact circumstances, but it might have been a falsely awarded pen.

[Wycombe Royal]

Have any protests against decisions that benefit your own side ever been accepted?

Paolo Di Canio? Can't remember the exact circumstances, but it might have been a falsely awarded pen.

He caught a ball from a cross when the opposition goalkeeper (Paul Gerrard?) was down injured leaving him with an open goal.

[Toadie]

Worst display of officialling I've ever seen. No consistency, no control, no clue whatsoever.

Result should stand. Suspend Attwell and his linesmen.

[Sarah Star]

Have any protests against decisions that benefit your own side ever been accepted?

Paolo Di Canio? Can't remember the exact circumstances, but it might have been a falsely awarded pen.

He caught a ball from a cross when the opposition goalkeeper (Paul Gerrard?) was down injured leaving him with an open goal.

So it was his decision then, rather than a protest about anything that a referee or official decided.

[Wycombe Royal]

Paolo Di Canio? Can't remember the exact circumstances, but it might have been a falsely awarded pen.

He caught a ball from a cross when the opposition goalkeeper (Paul Gerrard?) was down injured leaving him with an open goal.

So it was his decision then, rather than a protest about anything that a referee or official decided.

THat is correct - he made the choice to stop play so the the keeper could receive treatment. Probably should have been booked for deliberate handball.

[Jerry St Clair]

Seriously, get a life! Do you think Reading are the first team in the history of the game to be awarded a goal that shouldn't have been a goal?? It wasn't up to us to put the score right! The officials were at fault. End of.

That's mealy mouthed nonsense. Why does the concept of sportsmanship elude so many on this thread? It is well within the power of RFC players and management to make a decision on rectifying this. Shrugging your shoulders saying "it's not my problem" and walking away is not a moral stance I'd feel comfortable with.

Did any Reading players actively badger the officials to a award a goal? Did they celebrate? Did the make any form of protest to the officials?

I know football threw away it;s moral scruples a long time ago, but we shouldn't forget it's still a sport.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Seriously, get a life! Do you think Reading are the first team in the history of the game to be awarded a goal that shouldn't have been a goal?? It wasn't up to us to put the score right! The officials were at fault. End of.

Exactly, officials make terrible human error, oh dear it happens - just get on with it.

[papereyes]

So it was his decision then, rather than a protest about anything that a referee or official decided.

Its here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NQ1GFGSYKY

He's clearly waving his hands early on but its hardly the easy finish that some would suggest it is. Ball behind him, head height, two, maybe three, defenders.

[Gordons Cumming]

If Reading had given Watford a free goal then it would have done our club the world of good nationally and internationally and we 'd probably gone on and won the game.

Never mind.

[1960]

Leaving aside all the arguments for a moment, let's surmise how the mistake was made. Because of the enormity of the mistake there has to be an explanation of why.

How's this for a scenario? The ref must have seen Eustace's clearance go wide of the goal from where he was. The lino, however, could only see from the side. Because the ball didn't reach the back of the net, there was no clear-cut in/out choice. To the lino it looked like it was in the goal. (Easy mistake to make - watch a game in the park with goalposts but no nets. I once scored with a rasping drive into the roof of the "net". My goalie thought I had blasted it over). So anyway, he flags but the players carry on for a few seconds until the ref stops it. He goes over to the lino and says "what's your flag up for?" Lino replies "Because the ball was in". The ref, thinking the lino was referring to the few seconds after Hunt played it, assumed one of the subsequent efforts must have gone in (and the ref was in line with these, so would have seen they were on target), so he awarded a goal. Not for the Eustace clearance, but for some unspecified shot later.

OK, maybe a bit far-fetched, but there has to be some explanation.

[T.R.O.L.I.]

OK, maybe a bit far-fetched, but there has to be some explanation.

And this is why the referees in this counrty should be forced to come out and speak to the media to explain their decisions - would go a long way to calming troubled waters in some situations (although I think in this case we'd just have a good laugh at his monumental error). Unfortunately, most refs (especially those in the SeLOLect group) seem to be so full of their own self importance that it's never going to happen.

[andrew1957]

Coppell has now done the decent thing and said we are prepared to replay the game if FA decide this is best course - see the OS.

[CholseyRoyal]

I see from the Official Site, Coppell will be happy to have a replay if the FA asks for one.

http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/pa ... 70,00.html

Maybe that will stop the press from taking such a hostile view of RFC being unsportsmanlike.

[Royal Lady]

Do the fans get in for free then?

[Gordons Cumming]

Do the fans get in for free then?

[T.R.O.L.I.]

Do the fans get in for free then?

Would be nice (and also have travel paid for) - especially if it came from the SeLOLect Group via the PGMO / FA

[Rex]

Why the about turn. Does it start from a 13th minute corner.

[Geekins]

We would've won i feel before that incident, we were by far the better team, but if there was a replay, then Watford would be up for that like they were in the 2nd half.

[Huntley & Palmer]

Fair enough, people on here would be crying murder if the situation was reversed