Ex- top flight referee Chris Foy examines decisions from the latest Sky Bet Championship, League One and League Two action; Bristol City vs Ipswich, Leicester vs Sunderland, Blackpool vs Cheltenham, Derby vs Exeter, MK Dons vs Bradford and Notts County vs Newport all analysed
Friday 27 October 2023 11:36, UK
A midweek special in Behind the Whistle, where former Premier League referee Chris Foy goes through a selection of key match decisions from the latest Sky Bet Championship, League One and League Two action.
Behind the Whistle aims to give supporters of EFL clubs an insight into the decision-making considerations and also clarification of certain calls to provide an understanding of how the laws of the game are interpreted.
As part of a regular feature on Sky Sports following the conclusion of a matchday, Foy will be here to run you through some refereeing matters in the EFL…
Incident: Potential penalty (Bristol City)
Decision: Free-kick awarded - no penalty (Bristol City)
Foy says: Given the speed of play and the resulting contact leaving the attacking player on the ground inside of the penalty area, this is a really good judgement by the referee in real-time.
The contact that trips the attacker is made just outside of the penalty area, therefore this was the correct decision to give a free-kick and not a penalty.
Incident: Potential penalty (Sunderland)
Decision: No penalty awarded (Sunderland)
Foy says: It is clear that in real-time the officials deemed there to be contact on the ball from the Leicester City defender as they awarded a corner kick to Sunderland in this particular incident.
However, with the benefit of being able to look at other angles and replay speeds, there is no contact made with the ball and the sliding challenge makes contact with the Sunderland attacker and trips him. I think with this contact and consequence, the better outcome is for a penalty to be awarded.
Incident: Goal scored - potential foul (Blackpool)
Decision: Goal disallowed (Blackpool)
Foy says: This is a good decision from the officials, who make a positive on-field decision to penalise the Blackpool attacker.
Following the goalkeeper collecting the ball cleanly from the incoming cross, the Blackpool attacker challenges him, making no contact with the ball, and clear contact jumping into the goalkeeper. A good call.
Incident: Goal scored - potential offside (Derby County)
Decision: Goal disallowed - offside (Derby County)
Foy says: We have the benefit of the angles from the tactical camera to judge this potential offside incident. The attacker who scores the goal appears to be in-line with the six-yard box.
When the ball is headed back across the goal, the moment the offside is judged, the second last defender is inside the six-yard box, therefore playing the Derby County attacker onside. This should have resulted in a goal being awarded.
Incident: Potential second caution (Bradford City)
Decision: No caution given (Bradford City)
Foy says: I think the Bradford City defender can count himself fortunate to have avoided a second caution on this occasion.
The defender has committed to the challenge and not made any contact with the ball. If the tackle has been deemed by the officials as reckless, then a caution would have been awarded upon the play stopping.
However, the officials considered the challenge to fall short of being reckless and, with the advantage applied, it has not clearly stopped a promising attack so no yellow card, which would have been a second yellow card, was given.
Notts County 3-0 Newport County
Incident: Goal scored - potential handball (Newport County)
Decision: Goal disallowed - handball (Newport County)
Foy says: It looks like while initially coming off the thigh of the attacking player, the ball has then bounced up and hit the hand of the attacker, an accidental handball.
Given that following the accidental handball the same attacking player then immediately scores a goal, it was the correct decision to disallow the goal from the officials.
