European Football

LARNACA, Cyprus, Nov 22 (Reuters) - European soccer body UEFA carried out trials with two additional linesmen at a match in Cyprus on Saturday, with one official saying they were encouraged by the initial results.

UEFA are trying to assess whether the extra linesmen monitoring penalty areas at the end of each pitch can help alert referees to fouls or diving, while avoiding the need to introduce potentially disruptive video replays.

Trials have been held in Slovenia and in Hungary, with the idea tried out at a Cyprus-Czech Republic under-19 championship qualifier in Larnaca on Saturday. The game ended 1-1.

"This will be the third tournament where we have conducted this trial. So far it has been very successful," said Hugh Dallas, a member of the UEFA Referee Committee.

"The main aim of it is to assist with more control of the penalty area...and in general to assist the referee, because we know the penalty area is obviously where the most incidents happen.

"What we are doing is really introducing a human camera from behind the goal," the Scot told Reuters.

Dallas said that results were so far encouraging. "Its very early, we are still discussing about what the best way is for an additional referee to communicate with the referee -- is it via the communications system, is it via a whistle, a flag? -- we are still at a very very early stage," he said.

The idea cannot be implemented on a wider scale without the approval of world governing body FIFA and the International Football Association Board (IFAB) which rules on any proposed changes to the laws of the game.

UEFA will be reporting its findings to the IFAB, which meets in February.