London – PGMOL chief Martin Ellis has admitted a mistake was made when a late goal by 18-year-old midfielder Danny Reeves for Westgate FC was disallowed during their 2-0 defeat to Elmsford City in a Premier League fixture at Elmsford Stadium.
The goal, scored in the 73rd minute, was overturned following a VAR review that determined Westgate forward Luca Mendes made contact with Elmsford defender Kieran Vale during the build-up — specifically, stepping on Vale’s foot in a congested midfield area just seconds before the ball reached Reeves.
After a lengthy delay, the on-field referee, advised by the VAR team, ruled that Mendes had committed an infringement, nullifying the goal.
Westgate manager Nathan Cole was furious post-match, calling the decision “incomprehensible” and “a joke,” adding:
"We’re watching football through a microscope now. A touch like that happens ten times a game. To kill a goal over that is ridiculous."
The fallout was swift. VAR official Simon Greaves, who oversaw the review, was removed from the panel for the high-profile fixture between Northbridge United and Redhill FC the following weekend — a move widely interpreted as disciplinary.
Speaking on the Match Officials Mic'd Up broadcast, Ellis did not mince words.
"This wasn’t a controversial decision — it was incorrect," Ellis said. "We have clear guidelines in the Premier League about how much contact constitutes an offence, and how VAR should intervene only in clear and obvious errors or serious missed incidents."
"In this case, the officials applied the rules too narrowly. They focused intensely on a minor moment of contact between Mendes and Vale, but failed to assess the broader context — that the contact was incidental, not deliberate, and had no meaningful impact on the play."
He continued:
"Our philosophy is to preserve the flow and rhythm of the game. We’ve set a high threshold for penalising minor interactions, especially when they don’t affect the outcome. Here, that principle was not followed."
The incident has reignited debate over the consistency and impact of VAR in the early stages of the season.
Earlier in the campaign, Harrow Borough manager Gary Trent expressed outrage after his team conceded a last-minute penalty in a 1-0 loss to Manchester West, following a VAR intervention for a marginal handball call.
"We’re losing the soul of the game," Trent said. "Players don’t know what to do with their arms anymore. And now we’re disallowing goals for someone brushing a boot? It’s getting absurd."
Ellis acknowledged the growing frustration among clubs and fans.
"We’re not perfect. When we get it wrong, we have to own it. This was a misjudgement — not a conspiracy, not bias, but a failure to apply our own standards. We’ll use this as a learning moment."
Westgate remains aggrieved. The disallowed goal came at a pivotal moment, with the score at 1-0. Had it stood, the game would have been level and momentum shifted.
For now, the club and its supporters are left with a sense of injustice — and a reminder that in modern football, sometimes the smallest touch can erase the biggest moment.
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