Hornets left reeling after astonishing phantom goal blunder

Stuart Atwell, who was seen before Saturday as the rising star of English refereeing, will escape serious punishment for one of the most shocking decisions seen in a professional match.

Referee’s assistant Nigel Bannister is instead being blamed after he and Attwell conferred before Reading were given an opening goal —even though the ball was nowhere near goal.

Watford manager Aidy Boothroyd described the incident as like witnessing ‘a UFO landing’.

The ball goes out for what should have been a goal kick after Stephen Hunt's corner has deflected wide by Watford's John Eustace

Reading's Noel Hunt tries to hook the ball back into play after the ball had bounced over the byline - but somehow the officials award Reading the opening goal

Paul Rejer, of the Professional Game Match Officials Board, was at the match and, when asked if Bannister was at fault rather than 25-year-old Attwell, the youngest man to referee a Barclays Premier League game, he said: ‘Absolutely.

"He’ll regret making that error. The assistant referee gave what he saw.

"From his position and angle, it appeared the ball had crossed the line for a goal.

"We’ll look at it and give him operational advice.’

Stephen Hunt had played in a 13th-minute corner, which was contested by John Eustace and Noel Hunt.

The ball hit Eustace and bounced over the line, four yards wide of goal.

Noel Hunt chased it and tried to hook it back into play, but Bannister had his flag up to signal a goal.

Attwell, who has been in charge of two Premier League games this season, listened to him and gave the goal.

Stephen Hunt joked: ‘It was an absolute screamer, wasn’t it?’

There was no chance of Reading showing Corinthian spirit and refusing to accept the goal, though.

Hunt added: ‘It was probably the worst decision I’ve ever witnessed.

"But what could we do? It wasn’our mistake.

Eustace claiming for a goal kick moments before the referee's controversial decision

‘If it happened to us, we’d have been fuming. Everybody makes mistakes and he’s a young referee who seems all right.

'He talks to you and has respect for the players.

'I’ve seen him referee before and he’s done well, but he had a bad day.

‘I was trying to claim the goal after he gave it.

'You can’t say: “Hold on ref, don’t give us a goal”.’

Officially, it has been given as an own goal from Eustace, who sarcastically said he was ‘over the moon’ about the decision.

He said: ‘The corner came in and hit me on the knee and went out fo ranother corner.

'But the linesman thought it had gone in.

'Everyone could see what happened. I was three or four yards from the post.

'It’s a bit embarrassing.

Bemused Waford players plead with referee Stuart Atwell and his assistant Nigel Bannister after the astonishing call

‘We thought he’d given a goal kick. It was maybe only a foot over the byeline.

'It’s ridiculous.

‘You can’t speak to the officials. I just said: “What are you doing?”

'Everyone was amazed by the decision. He just told me to go away.’

Eustace said Watford would not have reacted in the way Reading did.

‘I wouldn’t have claimed it,’ he said.

‘I’d have said “it’s a corner”. It’s my first own goal and, hopefully, my last.

‘You can’t say it’s the referee’s fault. It’s the linesman and the ref’s got to go with him.’

Reading boss Steve Coppell said: ‘If the referee had come and told me at half-time that they’d cocked it up, I don’t know whether I would have let them score.’

Watford recovered for Tommy Smith to equalise in the 57thminute, and they went in front seven minutes later through John-Joe O’Toole.

Furious Hornets boss Aidy Bothroyd was sent to the stands during his side's draw against Reading

In between the goals, Boothroyd was sent to the stands, finally snapping when a throw-in went to the visitors.

He said: ‘I believe in the respect for referees campaign because I think we’re all role models.

'When you’re flailing your arms around and pointing fingers then I guess you expect to go.

But this was a comment made. It wasn’t malicious, quite aggressive but not malicious’.

Boothroyd did not think Reading should have given the goal back,saying: ‘I don’t expect any favours from a team as good as them.’

But his frustrating afternoon was complete when Stephen Hunt levelled with a 87th-minute penalty.

This was not an isolated incident for Bannister.

In February 2006, he failed to spot Ruud van Nistelrooy offside when Louis Saha scored for Manchester United against Fulham, while a year later James Milner’s goal for Newcastle against West Ham at St James’ Park was allowed, even though he had earlier flagged Scott Parker offside.

In September 2003, he also enraged Middlesbrough fans whehe told referee Alan Wiley that Frank Queudrue’s header against Everton had not crossed the goalline.