HARLOW5ASIDE.CO.UK

SUNDAY 5 A SIDE LEAGUE
RULES OF PLAY

The Main Object

5 a side is a game with little bodily contact. Teams are expected to play the game fairly with a good standard of sportsmanship. Unfair play will be strongly penalised. Swearing is to be deterred at all times and when specifically aimed at the referee can lead to a straight sending-off. If a player swears at or displays threatening behaviour towards opposition players during a match, he may be warned or sin-binned if persistent. Abuse from the balcony towards referee or players may result in the offender(s) being ejected from the Sports Centre.

1: The referee’s decision is final.

2: All free kicks are direct except for a) overhead height b) obstruction or c) technical offences (advised by the referee). NB If you see the referee with one arm in the air, it is an indirect free kick.

3: No sliding under any circumstances, including slide shooting (ie you cannot slide and score).

4: Goalkeepers must not step, stretch an arm or slide outside the semi-circle in any circumstances and defending outfield players must not encroach whether or not it was accidental. Any infringement will result in the award of a penalty. If a player encroaches a penalty area when attacking, the referee will stop play and the ball will be handed to the goalkeeper to re-start the game. When shooting, however, encroachment can be allowed provided that 1) contact is made with the ball outside the penalty area 2) a player has not, in the referee’s view, endangered the goalkeeper and 3) the referee believes the ball to be “dead” ie a goal has been scored before the encroachment took place.

5: If a player is stopped by unfair means en-route to goal with no opponent to beat other than the goalkeeper, or has a chance of scoring and is deliberately fouled, the referee may award a penalty and/or sin bin the player concerned. This can include offences by the halfway line. Less serious offences will result in the awarding of a direct free kick. If, in the opinion of the referee, a player unsportingly puts off an opposing player about to shoot on goal or anywhere else on the pitch, that player will be warned and sin-binned if necessary for ungentlemanly conduct. An indirect free kick will be awarded.

6: Penalty Kicks. When a penalty is taken the ball must be placed on the blue spot inside the goalkeeper’s area. There is no limit to the number of steps that can be taken before the kick. Once taken, the ball is always “dead”. Either a goal is scored directly and the game is re-started from the centre circle as usual or the spot kick is missed in which case the taker is now encroaching the penalty area and the referee will either allow the game to re-start by handing the ball to the goalkeeper OR by allowing play to continue if the defending team has re-gained possession. A goalkeeper can take a spot kick. However if he misses, the ball must always be handed to the defending goalkeeper and time must be given to allow the penalty taker to retreat to his own area before play is resumed. The defending goalkeeper must stay as close to his goal-line as possible when a penalty kick is taken and must not advance at all. Defending players must not obstruct penalty takers in their run-up to the ball. If the referee believes this has been the case after a penalty is missed, he may well ask for the kick to be re-taken.

7: No advantage should be gained by players placing hands on the walls to prevent an opponent from getting access to the ball. This will be deemed obstruction and a free kick awarded to the other team. This will be done for your own protection if nothing else.  It is the referee's discretion as to whether a hand on the wall is a temporary measure to maintain balance or is an attempt to gain an advantage over an opposing player.

8: Sin Bin – 2 minutes, will be used for serious misconduct or foul play which does not warrant a sending off. Two sin bins during a season for the same player will result in a one-match ban. Further bins and the ban will double each time ie 3 bins, 2 match ban, 4 bins, 4 match ban etc.

9: Goalkeeper: a) has 5 seconds to release the ball by either kicking (in which case the overhead rule will apply) or throwing underarm (bowling action) and b) once the ball has been released by the goalkeeper, the ball must have been touched by at least two players before it can be passed back to him. The referee will decide if a pass is deliberately made back to the goalkeeper whether or not the goalkeeper touches the ball immediately or waits for the ball to slowly re-emerge from his area. Infringement of a) or b) will result in the awarding of an indirect free kick six feet from the point of the area at which the ball crossed. A free kick can be passed straight back to the goalkeeper.

10: No player may wear a plaster cast or any other object which could endanger an opponent.

11: League competition – 3 pts for a win, 1 pt for a draw. If teams are level on points, then goal difference and then goals for will be used. Games are 10 minutes each way. Cups and Tournaments – as above then by result in match between teams. Cup Matches – knockout stage, if level an extra 3 minutes one way and then 5 penalties each followed by sudden death. Cup Finals – extra time of 3 minutes each way then penalties as above.

12: Teams should have 5 players available to play at kick-off time. Games may be started, at the discretion of the referee, when only 4 players are available but if this becomes a regular occurrence then the team in question’s inclusion in the league will be seriously reviewed in fairness to all other teams. However, if a fifth player has still not arrived by the end of the first half then a 3-0 walkover will be recorded*. Two exclusions per cycle will be allowed provided 2 days notice is given to the League Secretary; if not, once again a 3-0 walkover will be recorded*. If a 3rd walkover is awarded against a team, a 5-point deduction will be applied to their league total. Teams who are persistent offenders will be retired from the league.

13: Any player sent off will receive a minimum 4-match ban. This may be longer depending on the nature of the offence. All dismissals will be reviewed by the Disciplinary Committee who will notify those concerned of their decision. An appeal (incorporating reasons for the appeal) against any ban in excess of 6 games must be received in writing by the League Secretary within 7 days of the notification. The appeal will be reviewed by an Appeals Committee who will notify their decision within 21 days of the appeal. The decision of the Appeals Committee will be final. Any ban may be increased by the Appeals Committee. A player sent off during a friendly match will be dealt with in the same way as in a competitive game.  However, friendly matches will NOT be included in any suspension. 

14: All games will be closely monitored by a Committee member and therefore any players committing serious foul play unsighted by the referee may still receive a warning and/or a ban depending on the offence. Players found deliberately damaging property of the Sports Centre will be warned and if caused by a player who has been sent off/sin-binned, this could result in a further ban. Persistent offenders will be banned from the league entirely.

15: Teams with a persistently poor disciplinary record will be excluded from the league at the discretion of the committee.

16: Two substitutions will be allowed in a game, although once a player has left the field of play, he will not be able to come back on under any circumstances.

17: A player can only represent one team in the league, Cup or Plate in any one cycle and must be at least 16 years of age and male.

18: Any rules not covered, the FA ruling will apply.

* The Committee may use its discretion to allow a replay under extenuating circumstances.

Rules as at 16 April 2010

Colin Wright
League Secretary