Sunday, 17 November 2013
Carlsberg FA Sunday Cup Second Round
RCA Grangetown Florists exited this national competition with a 7-6 reverse on penalties after 0-0 at full time and after extra time.
All any team asks for in any match is a level playing field, well that was definitely not the case in this game, when all the cards were well and truly stacked against RCA Florists. The three match officials were individually very poor and collectively were shocking.
The game itself was an aside to the their display and I will precis it as follows: pretty even for the first 30 minutess apart from RCA Florists centre forward being shoulder charged into the surrounding block wall (when the ball was out of play) and suffering serious damage to his arm and shoulder. Referees action, nil. RCA Florists player being physically abused and attacked, standing his ground and getting a red card, home team players no action, after 35 minutes. 0-0 HT.
Second half RCA Florist player shown red card for abusing the linesman (first instance) after 70 minutes, despite the referee being given similar previous abuse from the home team on more than one occassion but taking no action whatsoever.
RCA Florists then proceeded to put up magnificent resistance for the remaining 20 minutes of normal time and 30 minutes of extra time to take the game to penalties. They then had an opportunity to win the game with their fifth penalty, but it was saved by the home team keeper, who should not have been on the pitch, as he should have been dismissed in the first half incident when RCA Florists first red was shown. The next penalty to be missed was by RCA Florists and so they got nothing, other than pride, out of a game they were never really given a chance in.
Very disappointing and you expect better from so called top officials.
I have deliberately not named anyone in this report as every player who represented RCA Grangetown Florists in this match deserves equal praise for their attitude and application.