Mulbarton, who play in the Isthmian League North, claim the decision to replay the game could lead to “wider implications regarding the finality of results” and the “integrity of the game as a whole”.
Yet matches being replayed because of a misapplication of the laws is more common than you might think, and it can happen for a variety of reasons.
A Spartan South Midlands League fixture between Edgware Town and Harefield United in 2006 is thought to be the first in English football to be ordered to be replayed, external because of a referee’s error.
It was a carbon copy of the Mulbarton-Woodford situation. Edgware scored a penalty, the referee spotted encroachment by the attacking team and gave an indirect free-kick to Harefield. It should have been a retake.
Ordering a replay is far more likely to happen in a cup game, as the incorrect decision is considered to have had a direct impact on the outcome of a competition tie. In the league, it is just one match of a season-long tournament.
Uefa made such a judgment for the first time in 2015 following a European Championship qualifier between England Under-19 women’s team and Norway.
Trailing 2-1, Leah Williamson scored England’s stoppage time spot-kick, but the goal was disallowed because of attacking encroachment. Again, it should have been a retake.
Uefa ordered the match to be restarted from the moment of the penalty, and the players reconvened five days later. Williamson scored from the spot, the game finished 2-2 and it took England to the Euros.
There are other recent examples in England, too. An FA Vase tie was replayed last season after a referee’s error over a penalty shootout.
Last year, Bridlington Town were forced to replay their 2-1 FA Cup win against Knaresborough through no fault of their own. The refereeing team was wrong in law to refuse Knaresborough a fifth substitute during extra time.
Crucially, it cannot just be a matter of subjective opinion or judgement – like getting a corner wrong, or awarding a disputed penalty.
With the laws on encroachment relaxed in recent years, now requiring it to cause clear impact on an opponent, there was little case for an offence by Woodford.
With the goal being scored, the only offence possible would be the encroaching attackers having put off the goalkeeper. It would be a stretch but still subjective.
But even if you could justify the decision to disallow the goal, the restart should have been a retake. Other than the kicker committing illegal feinting, there was nothing in the laws about giving an indirect free-kick.
Redbridge-based Woodford said the decision “ensures the tie can be concluded in accordance with FA Cup rules”.
The winners will host Gloucester City of the Southern League Premier Division South in the third qualifying round on Saturday, 3 October.
