adinle wrote ... stopped the game so the other teams 5 subs could go in ... ref pretended to tie his shoes to cover.
Lopsided game. I've done the same thing myself, especially with less than a minute, or two, to go in the game, just to make sure that the kids who have been sitting on the end of the bench get into the game. I used to pretend to tie my shoe, but several years ago was advised by a top notch veteran official to forget the fake shoe tie, and to just sound my whistle and get the kids into the damn game. I have absolutely no rule backing for this, just common sense, sportsmanship, and spirit of the rules, or in this case, a lack of a rule.