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Confusion over no play decision

14/ 8/2008

OFFICIALS and players of Middleton Colts’ ladies’ team were left hopping mad after the Umbro International Women’s Tournament which was played in Manchester.

A club spokesman who contacted the Guardian claimed they were denied a place in one of the semi-finals due to more illustrious teams needing the pitches which were available for their remaining games.

The spokesman added: "Ten minutes before the semis were due to be played we were summoned to the reception area and told the games had been cancelled due to the elite teams running over.

"That was it, despite our protests that we had all paid the same entrance fee and had the same rights as the elite teams."

But a spokesman for the prestigious competition said Colts had not been denied their money’s worth.

He said: "The competition was split into three sections - elite teams, senior teams, and recreational teams. Middleton Colts were in the recreational section.

"To make progress you have to win matches, and had Middleton qualified for the semi-finals they would have played in the semi-finals, all three sections were played to a finish.

"What happened was that we did talk about running a consolation competition for teams who had not qualified for the latter stages of the main contests or plate contests.

"Middleton would have been involved in one of those.

"But due to the original competitions running late, because of injuries, penalty shoot-outs etc, it was decided we would not have the time or enough pitches to run a consolation knockout.

"It would have meant going beyond 6pm, and after 6pm we would have had no first-aid cover and would not have been allowed to continue.

"It was regrettable that we couldn’t give teams such as Middleton extra games, but we did not deny them any games in the original competitions.

"All the teams who would have been involved in the consolation contests were informed of our decision and generally accepted it."