Exclusive: PGMOL insider reviews ‘worst decision’ in Stockport v Leyton Orient
Keith Hackett has revealed how the officiating team should have dealt with Leyton Orient striker Charlie Kelman’s controversial opening goal in their League One play-off clash with Stockport County.
The former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official exclusively told Football Insider that not ruling that goal out for offside may be the “worst decision this season”.
Richie Wellens’ excellent work at Leyton Orient saw him linked with the Blackburn job earlier this season, while Dave Challinor has done a remarkable job in guiding Stockport up the divisions.
The efforts of both have ensured that their two teams have chance of promotion to the Championship this season after finishing in the top six in the regular standings.
On Saturday (10 May), the two sides went head to head at Brisbane Road in the first leg of their League One play-off semi final.
That match saw Leyton Orient and Stockport play out an eventful 2-2 draw, although the decision to allow the opening goal for the hosts has sparked considerable controversy.
Charlie Kelman scores from clear offside position
With half an hour on the clock, Kelman would put Wellens‘ side in front when he fired in from inside the Stockport penalty area.
Replays though, showed that the striker was clearly standing in an offside position when Omar Beckles flicked the ball into his path as Leyton Orient recycled a half-cleared free kick.
Despite that, referee Ben Speedie allowed the goal to stand, after his assistant failed to flag to signal offside.
With VAR not in operation until the play-off finals at Wembley, there also no way for technology to intervene to overturn the decision that had left Stockport furious.
Now, Hackett has given his take on how the incident should have been dealt with by the officiating team at the match.
| Charlie Kelman vs Stockport | Total (SofaScore) |
| Goals | 2 |
| Shots on Target | 2 |
| Shots off Target | 0 |
| Accurate Passes | 3/7 |
| Duels Won | 1/8 |
Stockport should have had reprieve over Leyton Orient opener
After being asked by Football Insider what he made of the incident, and if such an error in such a crucial game could lead to VAR being introduced in the play-offs, the former referee said:
“I table this initially in my thoughts as the worst decision of the season! This is the difficulty without VAR.
“Effectively this is a joint scenario so what [we] say is in that situation the player’s in an offside position, the flag should be raised.
“So we expect in a way the flag to be raised and then the debate goes on between the action of the referee to be able to say that the ball has been played onto the player in an offside position.
“But he’s a bit away from the scene. So for me, this is in a game of such importance for referee and assistant referee – to get a play-off you’ve had a really good season, you’ve demonstrated that you’ve had a good season, that you’ve been a good referee.
“Sadly, this is, it turns out to be one of the worst decisions of the season, and it is. Look at the assistant referee. In his own mind he’s got a problem because he doesn’t know whether the ball has been touched or played.
“So in that situation has got to be the guy who determines whether the ball has been played, hence the need for the flag to go up to say that player’s in an offside position [so the offside is given].
“Then the referee could say it’s not been given by that player and they give the goal. Raising the flag for offside doesn’t neccessarily rule out the goal.
“So here I think they need a bit of operational advice the match officials so that they don’t repeat it in the future. A bit of bad luck that they’ve both missed that headed ball because it’s glanced.
“On VAR, I think one of the joys of watching football without VAR is a pure joy, and they get these challenges.
“So for me I think this is the game as it used to be. I think the impact of VAR has not had the positivity I would have expected, I think it’s impacted the game negatively even though I’m for technology.
“What we’re going to see is VAR in operation at the finals at Wembley, because what it requires for this it also needed the semi-automated offside system where it’s got to have its own cameras.”
There would be more big decisions in that game, with Ollie Norwood equalising for the visitors from the penalty spot, with Dave Challinor’s side then taking the lead through Fraser Horsfall.
Leyton Orient though would equalise through a penalty of their own which was converted by Kelman following a handball by Horsfall.
Meanwhile, Stockport were also denied a further spot kick after Brad Hills was held by Sean Clare insider the Leyton Orient penalty area.
With all of that leading to a 2-2 draw, the spot in the final will be decided when the two sides face off in the second leg at Edgeley Park on Wednesda night (14 May).