Football teams' ban from cup after mass fight
TWO Sunday league football teams have been found guilty of failing to control players – after a game had to be abandoned due to a fight on the pitch.
Referee Aaron Rosewell had to stop a game between Lebeq Reserves from Easton and the Flowerpot Wanderers from Kingswood on December 16 in Whitehall after around 18 players became involved in a fight.
At a disciplinary hearing on Monday night the Gloucestershire Football Association (GFA) found both clubs guilty of failing to control players.
It means they can still play in the Bristol Regional Sunday Football League but can no longer compete for the Gilbert Pullin Memorial Cup.
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The incident happened in the second half when Lebeq Reserves were 7-0 up.
Mr Rosewell said: "During the second half there was a challenge that some of the players felt was quite forceful, and they reacted.
"Quite a few of them were involved, around 15 to 18 players.
"As I then called the players across who were involved in the incident, it kicked off again.
"There were players from both sides, as well as managers and even some spectators involved, as it happened quite close to the touch line. The game had to be abandoned."
Stuart Garland, secretary of the Flowerpot Wanderers, told The Post the incident was "less of a fight and more of a scuffle".
Mr Garland claimed it started when a Lebeq player reacted badly to a tackle and had "kicked out twice" at one of the Flowerpot players.
He claimed that after the Flowerpot player squared up to the Lebeq player, another Lebeq player came and hit him twice to the back of the head, which led to a "scuffle" between other players.
He said the team were disappointed not to be able to compete for the cup, and while the players involved knew they should not have acted as they did, they felt the verdict of the hearing was "a bit unfair".
Errol Thompson, secretary of Lebeq Reserves, said: "I went to the hearing and at the end of the day, as in a professional game the referee is always right. I haven't got any other comment to make."
Chris Lucker, of the GFA, told The Post the association could not make any comment as it had only just released its ruling to the clubs. He said: "We have to give the clubs due time to respond before making any details public as they have right of appeal."
â A Knowle team has resigned from a football league after players were involved in a 21-man brawl.
As reported in The Post, referee Frank Cockle called for The Park Knowle Reserves and Amana Somali Youth Forum to be expelled from their league after the fight last Saturday.
The trouble flared after 80 minutes of Bristol and Avon Premier League tie at The Park Centre in Daventry Road, Knowle West, when Amana, who had been 4-2 down, scored to come within a goal of the home side.
The Park Knowle Reserves have now resigned from the Bristol & Avon League.
Avon league secretary Gerry Witcombe said: "Their chairman Mike Alden said the club has a policy of no tolerance of that sort of behaviour."
The Park Reserves have also withdrawn from this week's GFA Primary Cup tie against De Veys Reserves, who will receive a walkover into the semi-finals on February 16.
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