I just saw it as i was reading that... it was nowhere near the goal! Those officials should never get a league game again but known the FA... they'll probablys be refing in our league next week for a bit of "experience"

Ano the linesman and Ref should be sacked from the game
If the linesman actually thought the ball had went over the line in the first place, then why would the reading players kick it off the line

Reading should of let Watford equalise

the goal itself

The officials should be sacked and never be allowed to officiate again, if any of us on this board made such a big cock up in our jobs then we'd be sacked.

It's a point that's already been made but it's worth repeating I think, why the fook would the Reading lad be trying to clear the ball off the line!?

Did the linesman not consider this!!?

the game must be replayed - no arguments. There are instances of replays in the past owing to this sort of thing - Watford may run the risk of losing the point they did get, but they would be within their rights in my opinion. The football authorities could have no cause to refuse such a request either.

One of them was the Fourth official at the West Brom - Aston Villa game today

It was the ref, he's only 25 and already an incompetent match official- quite an achievement.

fooking mental that


they should've let em score straight off, wankers imo cos they didn't

Come on now Salty you're expecting sporting play in a professional game?
I don't see this as being any worse than someone deliberately diving and getting awarded a penner, either from the fair play point of view or the refereeing incompetence point of view.

I'm not saying it's right; it's just something that regrettably has come to be taken for granted in the game.

I can't believe they are using it as yet another argument for video evidence. In tight decisions I can sympathise with the officials if they get it wrong but this incidents wasn't anywhere near tight. Incidents like that shouldn't need video evidence. It is the officials that need looking at in this instance.

well there was an instance where a team got a goal due to a mistake and the oppo just let the other team walk down the field unchallenged and score.
dunno who/what/where but it did happen!! and I think reading should have done the same in this instance especially when they knew they hadn't scored....they are now on my list!

arsenal v sheff united got played again after some unsporting behaviour from kanu, about 10 years ago or summit

it does happen.

I think, though I could be wrong, Wrexham were one of the teams. If I do remember correctly one team scored from a drop ball when he was just giving the ball back so they then let the opposition score a goal to compensate.

It was Yeovil vs Plymouth in the League Cup in 2004 when Yoevil allowed Plymouth to walk the ball in the net after they "scored" returning the ball after an injury http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 585856.stm

I don't thinks teams should get away with being allowed to replay games if they don't show sportsmaship at the time. Its probably better that Reading are known by one and all as cheats. If refereeing howlers lead to replayed matches where do you draw the line? If a red card is rescinded should the game be replayed? Refereeing howlers are just part of the game and as the saying goes "The referees decision is final" or ????? can we have have our play off final against the Wendies replayed

Might be interesting where the teams finish at end of season,story may be circulated around again.

Why would Reading be branded cheats?
The linesman made a mistake, they did not appeal for a goal.
You do not seriously expect them to admit it didnt go in at the time?
As their manager said after the match, as did one of their players, they did not know at the time exactly what the goal had been given for, or whether it had in fact crossed the line from the header after the "goal"
To replay the match could turn out worse for either side so in my opinion, the replay should be offered to Watford, but not be enforced upon them

Reading are the cheating culprits in all of this.

The linesman and ref made a genuine mistake. True, a pretty catastrophic one, but a genuine mistake all the same.

Reading accepted the benefit of that mistake without question and then played on as if it had been a genuine goal.

Isn't it interesting how managers can see incidents that go against them from 100 yards but when something misses the goal by four yards they never saw it. One thing is for certain, either his players will have told Coppell that it wasn't a goal and/or he could have looked at the video replay at half time and put right things right at the start of the second half. It was unsportsmanhip of the highest order by Coppell and he has lost an incredible amount of respect.

I fully concur.

Well the po-faced Football League says 'there is no provision in the rules to change the referee's decision once the game is restarted.' A neat cop out.

I note they never say, 'this incompetent bunch of cross eyed f ucks will never referee above Sunday League level again.'

Which would be re-assuring.

I would hope that every club in the league will appeal if any of those three officials are given their game.

To be fair Kev it was only 2 of them that fooked up completely

I've never had any respect for Copell anyway, after his whinging and moaning after we beat Palarse in '93

Very, very, very, very ungracious in defeat and he's a bin dipper, the bounder

I do apologise Mr Penfold.

Then perhaps the third one should be allowed on the line in the Unibond Second Division.

Occasionally.