The attacking side, losing 5-6 with not long left, are awarded a free kick 25 yards from goal, in a central position. Whilst the referee is ensuring that the defenders are the required distance away from the place of the infringement, the ball, which had gone down the considerable slope behind the goal, is lobbed back, swiftly and forcibly. The free kick is taken and the ball enters the net at some speed. All players are stunned by the ferocity of the shot, and, because the scores have been levelled with little time to go, the game re-starts quickly. After all, extra time is lost drinking time!

From the corner of his eye, the referee then notices, behind the goal, puffing his way up the considerable slope, the head, and then the body, of the goalkeeper who had retrieved the ball, thrown it back and had not been present for the taking of the free kick, Such had been the confusion that not even his own defence had noticed.

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A Brazilian footballer added to the trend of bizarre goal celebrations by eating a carrot after scoring. Athletico Mineiro striker Edmilson pulled the vegetable from the front of his shorts and then ate it after his goal in a match away to local rivals America-Belo Hortizonte in the Brazilian Championship. The gesture was an apparent provocative gesture towards the America fans, whose team are nicknamed "The Rabbits"

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A WOMAN was involved in a controversial goalmouth incident after a football fan blocked her drive with his van on match day.
Amanda MacNaughton drove her Ford Fiesta on to the pitch on parkland near her home in Beverley, East Yorks, and pulled up in the six-yard box. Players watched in amazement as she climbed out of the car and stamped off to the touchline.
The Regency Club from Beverley and Long Riston had played half an hour of a cup match when the visitors scored and the teams were lining up for the restart.
Brian Freeman, the referee, said: "I had my back to the Regency goal. Suddenly, the players started mumbling and I turned round to see this car being driven into the goalmouth.
"The goalie was standing there with the most bemused expression on his face. Then out got this attractive young woman. Even from 75 yards I could see she was very annoyed.
"When I got there a couple of the lads were telling this woman, 'If you don't move it we will pick it up and carry it off'.
"As it turns out, one of the spectators from Long Riston had parked a panel van adjacent to this woman's drive and she told them,'You park on my pitch and I'll park on your pitch'."
Eventually the deadlock was broken when the van owner moved his vehicle and Miss MacNaughton drove off the pitch.
Fred Barr, of East Riding County League, said: "Diplomacy saved the day. "
Miss MacNaughton declined to talk about her tactics yesterday.