Not giving that pen feels like a bit of a re-interpretation of the rules to me

I think the rules on this have been pretty set for years now - if striker and keeper both go for the ball and striker gets there first, then when the keeper touches him he can go down it's a pen. Even if he might have been able to avoid the keep and/or stay on his feet if he'd really tried to.

Interpretation last night is that if the ref thinks the striker *could* have stayed on his feet, then it's not a pen. Even if there is contact, as there clearly was last night, as you say.

So strikers now have to stay on their feet if they can, even if that means stumbling a bit but carrying on, or doing everything they can to leap over the keeper to avoid touching contact, or whatever.

Not saying this is worse - maybe it will be better. Certainly evens things up a bit. Keepers can gamble a bit more knowing that even if the striker gets the ball first, they may get away with it.

But it feels like a different interpretation of the rules to the one we've all got used to.

(Of course, time will tell as to whether other refs follow this one's interpretation...)

Posted By: Tricky Hawes on July 2nd 2026 at 09:04:33

Message Thread

I have reviewed yesterday’s big decisions (Other Football) - SCC 28, Jul 2, 07:56:34
- 😂 (Other Football) - footymadman, Jul 2, 09:52:17
  - Next goal (England) did indeed win 👌 (n/m) (Other Football) - SCC 28, Jul 2, 10:04:08
- Ref motioned that Kane dived but then didn't book him (n/m) (Other Football) - jamesward, Jul 2, 08:38:13
  - Not really a dive for me (Other Football) - SCC 28, Jul 2, 08:47:08
    - exactly that (n/m) (Other Football) - paulg, Jul 2, 09:29:17
    - He'd get that in the Bundesliga (Other Football) - jamesward, Jul 2, 08:51:48
      - he'd get it all over the place, but much better reffing not to give it (n/m) (Other Football) - paulg, Jul 2, 09:30:28
        
        I'm fairly confident if that happened to a Norwich striker we'd expect a pen (n/m) (Other Football) - Tricky Hawes, Jul 2, 09:33:52
        
        we expect all sorts of nonsense as supporters; still think the decision was right (n/m) (Other Football) - paulg, Jul 2, 09:55:06
        
        Yeah I think it’s hard not to give it in real time (Other Football) - SCC 28, Jul 2, 09:48:39
        
        I much prefer the more robust reffing (Other Football) - paulg, Jul 2, 10:00:44
        
        yeah, I mostly agree (Other Football) - Tricky Hawes, Jul 2, 10:19:46
  - I saw that (Other Football) - Old Git, Jul 2, 08:45:07
    - Not giving that pen feels like a bit of a re-interpretation of the rules to me (Other Football) - Tricky Hawes, Jul 2, 09:04:33
      - I don’t think it’s about him being able to avoid the keeper (Other Football) - SCC 28, Jul 2, 09:08:31
        
        I don't disagree that's what he did. Just that those are usually given (Other Football) - Tricky Hawes, Jul 2, 09:14:23
        
        Dermot Gallagher agrees with you (Other Football) - jamesward, Jul 2, 09:56:05
        
        Him and Darren Cann (Other Football) - SCC 28, Jul 2, 10:30:46
        
        In the prem it’s been a thing for quite a few years (Other Football) - SCC 28, Jul 2, 09:29:56
        
        He's already going down before he gets to the keeper (Other Football) - jamesward, Jul 2, 09:10:16
        
        exactly (n/m) (Other Football) - Jumbo1, Jul 2, 09:09:32
- I can see why all those were given (Other Football) - Duck, Jul 2, 08:28:10

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