Last Tuesday I talked about putting a stopwatch on actual game time.
Never has been more apposite that in yesterday's Manchester derby.
A pulsating game was 3-2 to United in the last minute when a mistake by Rio Ferdinand invited Craig Bellamy to race half the length of the pitch to equalise with just six seconds remaining on the clock.
When the game restarted we were told (on Sky TV's coverage) that there would be four added minutes. Presumably those added minutes were decided and conveyed to the fourth official before the goal had been scored.
Once the goal had been scored almost a minute was wasted by City in their celebrations (45 seconds). A few moments later more time was taken up when Michael Carrick came on as substitute for United. It's officially 30 seconds for each substitution. Thus, there was at least 1 minute 15 seconds to add to the four minutes, taking us to 95 minutes 15 seconds.
Michael Owen scored United's winner after 95 minutes and 26 seconds.
Manchester City manager Mark Hughes complained after the game about this added time and the game running to 97 minutes. Obviously referee Martin Atkinson added further time on after the winner for the time taken to celebrate that.
If you also take into account the fact that the free-kick that led to the goal took about a minute from the foul to the taking, then I'm sorry, but Hughes can have no argument. The game should probably have run beyond 97 minutes!
However, it proves me right.
Put a stopwatch on actual playing time. This change is needed quickly.
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