Howard Webb issues 'conclusive' Pro Ref verdict on Neco Williams handball incident vs Tottenham

Nottingham Forest were controversially denied a goal when they faced Tottenham Hotspur at City Ground earlier this month, and Howard Webb has tried to clear the air.

Howard Webb has defended the decision to chalk off Neco Williams' disallowed goal during Tottenham Hotspur's 0-0 draw to Nottingham Forest.

When the Lilywhites faced Oliver Glasner's side at the City Ground earlier this month, the Video Assistant Referee stepped in to rule out a goal scored by the 25-year-old defender for accidental handball.

Williams had bundled the ball into the net midway through the second-half. The Wales international dived headfirst into a goalmouth scramble with Sandro Tonali, who struck him in the head with his boot while attempting to clear his lines.

Peter Bankes and his assistant, Alex Chilowicz, at Stockley Park adjudged Williams to have used his arm in the process, so the goal was chalked off. Speaking to reporters after the game, the Forest defender was adamant there was no proof of a handball offence.

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"I've seen the images and the replays, and at not one moment did I think I handballed it," Williams told Sky Sports. "I have seen all the images, and at not one moment can you tell that has clearly hit my arms, because it never. I knew straight away I've headed it down in between my arms. It didn't hit my arm."

During an appearance on Tuesday night's 'Match Officials Mic’d Up' show on TNT Sports, Webb attempted to provide clarity on the eyebrow-raising decision. The Chief Refereeing Officer at Pro Ref, formerly known as PGMOL, said: "So, the ball goes in off Williams.

"He's close to the goal line when the ball hits him, and because of the attacker handball law that we referenced earlier, the VAR has no choice but to look for what did the ball come off. This is not about clear and obvious.

"It's about a matter of fact. If the ball hits Williams' arm in this situation and then goes immediately into goal, or he scores immediately, then you have no choice but to disallow the goal because of the way the law is written.

"So the VAR looks at it, initially, you can hear that he's not conclusive. He doesn't feel it's quite there. But then when he slows it down to an appropriate pace and gets the right angle, you can see that the ball clearly and conclusively hits that right arm.

"You see the sleeve move. The three stripes, exactly. If he’s got short sleeves on it might not have been so apparent, but it's apparent.

"It's clear. It's conclusive, and the goal has to be disallowed. And that happens before the ball crosses the goal line into goal.

"That's also checked. So conclusively identified. It's absolutely right.

"Unfortunately, the goal has to be disallowed. Harsh on Neco Williams, but the officials have no choice."