Ex-Premier League official tears into bosses over eight minute Wolves FA Cup delay

Wolves fought back from a goal down before losing on penalties at the Vitality Stadium - in a game that was overshadowed by Matheus Cunha's extra time red card for violent conduct.

However, the game had already produced a controversial moment in the first half, when it took more than eight minutes for officials to rule out a Bournemouth goal for offside.

It was the first weekend that a semi-automated offside system was being trialled in English football - which is designed to reduced the decision time for calls by 30 seconds.

However, Milos Kerkez's 35th minute goal for the Cherries led to an eight minute delay in proceedings - leading to both sets of fans chanting, 'it's not football any more', and 'this is embarrassing'.

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A statement from the Football Association said the lengthy delay was due to the fact a congested penalty area prevented the new technology from being used, so officials had to draw offside lines manually.

Pundits have already criticised the scenes at the Vitality Stadium - and former Premier League referee Mark Halsey has laid into refereeing bosses for allowing such a delay to happen.

Halsey, who retired from officiating in 2013, told Talksport that refereeing needs a 'common sense' approach, and if a decision is taking that long then it should not be given.

He said: "If we are going to trial semi-automated offside, they don't have a problem with it in the Champions League, they get it right.

"If we are trailing something different in our football, we have got to get it right.

"You can't hang around for seven, eight, nine minutes. You can't have players standing around for that long, there will be muscle pulls.

"We are looking for reasons to disallow goals for me. It is all down to the training.

"The protocols are for if there is a clear and obvious error, but they are getting involved where they should not be getting involved.

"It needs common sense, and you can still referee with common sense if you have leadership and direction.

"If it takes that long to look for an offside for a goal, then it is a goal.

"It is the same with penalties, if it takes five, six, seven times to look and decide it is a penalty, it isn't a penalty."

The controversial delay is a record for a VAR decision in English football, with the previous longest coming between Aston Villa and West Ham in March 2024, which took five minutes and 37 seconds.