What's wrong with this???

[Eastshire]

First off, let's stipulate that this a bad camera angle for determining whether the ball crossed the goal line.

It does not appear the ball crossed the goal line before being cleared by the defense.

We cannot see the AR or the referee at the time of the apparent goal.

I can think of a few possibilities here.

1) The ball did completely cross the goal line and we just can't tell from this angle.

2) The ball did not cross the goal line and either
a) the AR anticipated the play and signaled with a flag up the ball crossing the goal line, or
b) the AR moved aggressively up the line to reestablish position which the referee took as a "good goal" signal.

How should it be handled?

In my pregame, I always tell my ARs that on balls that go across the goal line and immediately come back out that the first thing I want them to do is go straight up with the flag. Then, after I've whistled, to give the good goal signal by sprinting up the touchline.

I think the referee was correct to confer with the AR after the protests from the defense. He has the ability to remove the goal and change the restart (to a drop ball somewhere around the edge of the penalty area, in this instance) up until the point the next restart is taken.

Presumably, the HC argued that a goal once awarded cannot be reversed. This is simply incorrect.