Match abandoned - Too many red cards

[Cookie]

Erith & Belvedere 2 (a) 4 Hythe Town

 

Published: November 12, 2005

 

 

 

Referee J D'Arcy abandoned today's fixture with just over 3 minutes remaining following the sending off of a fourth Hythe Town player.

 

Deres manager Mick Acland made a few changes for this match, leaving first team regulars Chris Dickson, Sam Friskey and Tommy Martin on the bench. 'Keeper Ricky Hall was not included in the squad.

 

Clark Hunt and Steve White were included in the starting eleven and new signing Carl Bartley was handed his debut.

 

The match started in dramatic fashion with Hythe's Roy Godden netting with just 5 minutes on the clock. Hythe's Roy Guiver and Jason Brazier , along with Deres Steve White were all cautioned before Guiver put Hythe two up in the 38th minute.

 

On the stroke of half time, Chris Hurst recieved Erith's second caution just before Godden found himself in the referee's notebook. Godden then had words with the referee who promptly showed the Hythe centre forward a second yellow card and the enievitable red!

 

Mick Acland replaced Barry Gibson and Chris Hurst at half time with Martin and Friskey as The Deres tried to get back into the match. On 50 minutes, Brazier recieved a second yellow card for a foul and with Hythe down to nine men, Dickson was immeidiately sent on to try and retrieve the situation.

 

Five minutes later and Hythe manager Paul Fisk is sent from the dug out for something he said to Mr D'Arcy. Hythe's Richard Sinden is then cautioned before, on 61 minutes, Damien Abel increases Hythe's lead.

 

A Carl Bartley header after 73 minutes gets The Deres back into the match and a glimmer of hope against the 9 men.

 

Two minutes later and Hythe goalkeeper Paul Rogers is sent off for deliberate handball outside of his area. Dean Widnall takes over the goalkeeping jersey and is beaten on 78 minutes as debut boy Bartley grabs his second.

 

Hythe introduce substitutes Lee and Darren Winfield to proceedings and they combine to allow Lee Winfield to net a breakaway fourth goal for Hythe. Moments later and Lee Winfield kicks out at Deres defender Lewis Tozer and is red carded following a discussion between Mr D'Arcy and one of his assistants.

 

At this point, the match official blows his whistle to signal the end of proceedings and declares the match as abandoned.

 

Both clubs now wait to see if the result will stand or whether the match will have to be replayed.

 

(Looking at the Kent League website, it would appear that the game will have to be replayed)

[Rob_Butler]

I thought there was a limit to when a replay will be needed?I think it is the 80th minute?

 

We had a game abandond about 6 years back after 75 minutes when the goal line "dissapeared" at the Whitsable end which was mainly becuase the w""""" in goal was rubbing the line with his boot the whole half.

 

Back on topic i think the laws of the game should be changed to "if a side has 4players sent off what ever time of the game it is the oposossing team should be declared a 3-0 victory" , and if the current score is higher that will be be counted.

[Cookie]

If less than seven players from any one team are left on the pitch then the referee has to abandon it regardless of how many minutes have gone.(I.E) It could happen in the 1st minute if more than 4 are sent off, from the same side, in that 1st minute.

[Rob_Butler]

Yea but the result stands does it not if it occurs after X minutes?

[Cookie]

The outcome will be decided I think by the authorities.You will have to look it up in the relevant leagues rules and regulations.I dont think the amount of minutes comes into it like it used to,FF. Maybe you can look it up and tell us in confirmation.

[Leedsclive]

I believe it will have to be for the KL to decide. A similar thing happened a few years ago between Sheff U and WBA. What's unusual here is that it's the team that was winning that went down to 7 men - normally it's the losing team for obvious reasons!

[jkmaskell]

Thats the first instance Ive seen of four players from a team being sent off in a game. Crazy!

[seasidesteve]

so if u are say4-0 down at half time you know you will lose so get 4 of your players to get themselves sent off and get the game replayed.surely the team with more than 7 must be awarded the game

[Big J R]

County F.A.'s decision after reading Ref's report, and calling witnesses if there is a hearing !

[Hempstead Gaz]

Won't be many witnesses, John, they are mainly defendants!! <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

[Chris1]

Quote:

General Question 6: During a game where both teams have used up all of their quota of substitutes, the Red team have two players sent-off for fighting - thus reducing their number to 9 players. Ten minutes later two Red defenders are unable to continue playing due to an unfortunate collision of heads - thus reducing the Red team to 7 players. Twenty minutes from the end of the game, the Red goalkeeper purposefully denies an attacker a goal scoring opportunity. What action should the Referee then take?

General Answer 6: The Red team only has 7 players left on the field of play. Although the minimum number of players is left to the discretion of the national associations, a match can only generally continue when there is seven or more players in the team. In this instance, the Referee should send-off the Red team goalkeeper for denying a goal scoring opportunity. This reduces the Red team to 6 players. The Referee should then abandon the match and report the fact to the appropriate league authorities. Competition rules usually stipulate the minimum number of players allowed - and this is usually 7(seven). FIFA specifically recommends that minimums of 7 players are required to play the game.

This is from an 'advice to referees' website. The laws of the game state that an abandoned match must be replayed unless the rules of the competition state that the existing score should stand.

Well that clears it up then!

[Cookie]

Seems the ref has made a [****!!****]-up here. Only 4 players were sent off from the field of play which left Hythe with 7 men still. The fact that the manager was sent off from the dug-out has no bearing on the amount of players on the pitch.He should only have abandoned the game if there were LESS than 7 players from that particular team left on the pitch. Therefore a replay seems almost certain and the referee will almost certainly get censured for doing his job incorrectly & abandoning the game prematurely.

[Leedsclive]

If it's at the ref's discretion, then it's at the ref's discretion surely? As I say, this is unusual, perhaps unprecedented as the winning team was down to seven men.

[Big J R]

I'd LOVE to see a copy of the Ref's report !

 

Should make very interesting reading. (Ar, the good old days !)

[Cookie]

There's no discretion in football.Especially from referees.Rules are rules, laws are laws. There may be different interpretations but in fact they have to abide by the laws of the game whether they want to or not but there are cases as we all know where some refs give something whereas another ref would give something else. Can you imagine referees using common sense.If he HAD used his discretion then surely with only 3 minutes left on the clock he would have allowed the game to finish.The fact remains that the laws states LESS than 7 players left on the field before an abandonment therefore he was wrong in his decision.I too would like to see his report.

Now did he get it wrong or are the rules different for the Kent League than for other leagues.My guess is that he got it wrong.Maybe there was more to this game than we know.