CONSTITUTIONAL RULES

Teams will receive 3 points for a win and 1 for a draw and zero for a loss. League placings will be decided by points gained, followed by goal difference, followed by goals scored, followed by the aggregate result between the two teams in question, followed by a play-off. Teams may only register a maximum of 8 players and no player can be registered to more than one team in the same league division. Players may not transfer their registration to a team in the same division during the course of a tournament. Any team playing an unregistered or suspended player will have 2 points deducted from their league total per suspended or unregistered player. Players playing whilst suspended will have a further three match ban added to the end of their current suspension. All teams must be on the park and ready to begin the match at the appointed kick-off time. If a team is more than 5 minutes late their opponents may claim the fixture with a 3-0 win.

PLAYING RULES

Each team may field four outfield players and a goalkeeper on the pitch at any time. Substitutions can only be made during a stoppage in play and only with the referees consent. Illegal substitutions will be penalized with an indirect free kick from where play is stopped. Teams may not change their goalkeeper more than once during the course of the game. A change of goalkeeper must be authorized by the referee. NO studded footwear or blades are permitted to be worn by any player in the tournament. Only training shoes and astro boots may be worn. All Players must wear shin pads. The wearing of any form of jewellery is not permitted during play. The match will consist of two equal minute halves. The length of half will be determined by each branch. Each half will begin with one team taking a centre. After a goal has been scored the game will be re-started in a similar manner. Only the defending goalkeeper is allowed to play the ball inside the goal area and only he may handle the ball in this area. An outfield player gaining or seeking to gain an advantage by entering his own goal area will have a penalty kick awarded against his team. An outfield player entering his opponents penalty area will be penalized by the award of an indirect free kick against the offending team from where the infringement took place. A goalkeeper gaining or seeking to gain an advantage by leaving his area or by playing the ball when it is outside the area will cause a penalty to be awarded against his team. The goalkeeper must return the ball into play by rolling it out of his area with an under-arm bowling action. A team mate receiving it in this way may not return the ball directly to the goalkeeper - the ball must first make contact with another team mate or an opponent. Infringement will lead to an indirect free kick being awarded against the offending team from the place where the defending player returned the ball The ball must not be played above kick board height. An indirect free kick will be awarded against the last player to touch the ball before it goes above kick board height, regardless of intent. The ball must never played with the head even if it is below board height. A free kick will be awarded for infringement. If the ball goes out of play off the goalkeeper, the game will be restarted by indirect free kick by the same goalkeeper. A goal may be scored from any point within the field of play. The only exception is that goalkeepers may not score against their opponents. No slide tackles are allowed. Infringement of this rule will lead to an indirect free kick being awarded against the offending players team. Free kicks for fouls are direct. All other free kicks are indirect. Observe the referees signal. Opposition players must be at least five feet from where any free kick is taken. Players may only take one step before striking penalty kicks. In the knockout stages (not league phase), if the scores are level penalties will decide who progresses through to the next round. (No extra time is played)

Penalties consist of 3 per team - the winner is the team with the highest total. If scores are level after 3 penalties, the fourth and fifth player who finished the regular game MUST take the next penalties (inclusive of goalkeeper). Penalties from this point onwards (fourth penalty) are SUDDEN DEATH. No substitutes are allowed to take ANY of the penalties. After 5 penalties, if the scores are still level, teams continue to rotate kickers until a winner is decided.

DISCIPLINARY RULES

Players may be sent to the ‘sin bin’ at the referee’s discretion. Depending on the offence, the duration of the sin bin will vary at the referee’s discretion. A player may only be sin binned once per game as a second offence would involve a sending off. Players sent off for any reason will be suspended for one match and will miss the teams next game. Players sent off for serious foul play, foul or abusive language will be suspended for further games at the discretion of the referee and management. If a player is sent off whilst off the field of play (for unacceptable conduct on the sideline), the team must correspondingly reduce the number of players on the field. If a team is permanently reduced to three players due to sending offs the game will end. The match will be awarded 3-0 to their opponents. If the score at the time produces a goal difference greater than 3-0 then that score will stand. If a match is abandoned for any reason the team at fault will receive a 3-0 defeat unless the opposition already has a greater advantage in which case the score will stand. If both teams are judged to be at fault then both teams will receive 3-0 forfeits against them. The decision of the referee in all matters pertaining to the playing rules of an individual game is final. The decision of Goals management in all matters pertaining to the administration of the league is final. Goals Management may overturn any rule if they feel a team is deliberately using an interpretation of the rules to gain an unfair advantage.