Click to enlarge, and debate the strip below the line.
Keith Hackett's verdict
1) It's an own goal – you should play advantage in any situation like this. If you awarded a free-kick for handling, you'd be doing the defending team a favour they don't deserve. Thanks to Anton Dennis.
2) Yes, there's no problem here. You do see officials penalise players in this situation, but they're completely wrong to do so: players are allowed to stand anywhere on the field. What they cannot do is move with the keeper, thereby preventing the keeper releasing the ball. And even then, that offence is not an automatic yellow card – you should only book a player who moves with the keeper in this way if the unsporting behaviour is overt, such as raising his foot as the keeper kicks the ball. Thanks to Michael Ashby.
3) Stop hesitating. You are the ref, and – unless your assistants or the fourth official advise you to rethink the decision - you have to act on what you saw. Never take advice from players, however well-intentioned it appears to be. Award the penalty, dismiss the defender and have a strong word with the captain. One note here, though – the term "last man" is not in the laws – it's a media invention, and can confuse the way these situations are judged. What you're looking for is simply the denial of an obvious scoring opportunity. Christopher Williams wins the shirt.
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