Fortune boss calls for use of video evidence after ref admits he wrongly booked player

Temple Fortune player-manager Jonathan Cohen has called for video evidence to be used after a referee admitted he wrongly booked one of his players for diving after viewing Jewish News footage of the incident.

Martin Fox, who’s the MGBSFL’s Referee Secretary, booked Michael Goldberg for diving when he fell under the challenge of Hendon’s James Neidle during their Barry Goldstein Trophy match on Sunday. Fox said he’d rescind the card after viewing video footage of the incident, but MGBSFL chairman David Wolff explained he couldn’t do so, stating in an email to the Jewish News: “There’s no appeal to the FA against a caution under any circumstances. A referee doesn’t have the right to withdraw it once issued and video evidence is not acceptable in respect of cautions.”

However, believing it should be used, Cohen said: “Mistakes are made by players and officials at the highest level. There are multiple officials at a professional level and only one on a Sunday, how can we expect every decision to be a correct one? Why shouldn’t someone be able to change their mind?”

Fox said: “Video evidence will happen, I’m just ten years ahead of my time!

“My hands are tied with this. My first instinct was I was correct, and had I not have seen the video, I wouldn’t have changed my mind. To be honest, the evidence still isn’t conclusive, and having seen the results of your poll [60 percent think it was a dive] it’s still down to a matter of opinion and interpretation.”