Former Premier League referee Chris Foy has provided an analysis of key match decisions from the Sky Bet Championship, League One, and League Two, including the recent clash between Derby County and Norwich City.
In the match that saw Norwich City secure a thrilling 3-2 victory over Derby, Foy highlighted a significant incident concerning a goal awarded to Norwich despite a controversial build-up. He noted, "I have a level of sympathy for the match officials here, as Norwich City's goal was allowed to stand despite replays confirming that the ball had crossed the goal-line in the build-up." Foy explained that the speed at which Norwich City's number 9 charged down the ball made it challenging for the assistant referee to determine if the entire ball had crossed the line. He suggested that the position of the Norwich player may have obstructed the assistant's view. Ultimately, he acknowledged that while the decision to award the goal was made in the moment, the correct call would have been to disallow it.
In other match decisions, Foy discussed events from Hull City's 4-1 win over Cardiff City, where he praised the assistant referee for correctly allowing Cardiff's opening goal to stand despite potential offside concerns. "The assistant referee here displays excellent judgement as he correctly keeps his flag down," Foy noted.
Foy also examined a penalty awarded to Northampton Town against Mansfield Town, which he deemed a correct decision due to careless contact resulting from a foul in the area, as well as a controversial no-penalty situation for Carlisle United against Grimsby Town, where significant evidence suggested a penalty should have been given.
Furthermore, he addressed an incident involving Salford City, where a player was cautioned for simulation after attempting to deceive the referee in the penalty area. "This is a good example of why positioning is important for a referee," Foy stated.
These insights into key decisions provide supporters with a clearer understanding of the complexities faced by match officials in the EFL.