Bungay Town left frustrated as protest forces cup call-off
Youth football. Picture: Archant - Credit: Archant
Bungay Town’s eagerly awaited Suffolk Senior Cup semi-final tie tomorrow has been postponed - their third call-off in eight days adding to further problems in their already crowded fixture list.
But this time it is nothing to do with the weather.
The Black Dogs were due to play Leiston Reserves at Beccles tomorrow for a place in the final – but following a protest from their quarter-final opponents, Brantham Athletic Reserves, who Leiston beat 4-1, they have been suspended from the competition pending an appeal.
Leiston allegedly played ineligible players in that tie, but have seven days to appeal against the decision – and that deadline does not run out until Monday. With no decision yet from Leiston Suffolk FA had no option but to postpone the game, and were unable to confirm whether it would go ahead next Saturday, whoever Bungay’s opponents turn out to be.
The club is greatly frustrated at the latest turn of events, which have left it too late for the Anglian Combination to give Bungay a Division One game tomorrow to help with the backlog.
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Club chairman Jon Fuller said yesterday: “It is extremely annoying that we find ourselves with further a fixture backlog through no real fault of our own. We have tried hard to find an alternative home league fixture at the Maltings Meadow, which will be without a football match again this weekend, but all options seem to be denied us.
“Obviously every club will try to fight hard to stay in the County Senior Cup competition at this late stage, but sometimes you just have to hold your hand up and admit an honest mistake.”
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The postponement of games due against Sheringham (last Saturday) and Kirkley and Pakefield Reserves (last Tuesday) have added to the fixture backlog, which means Bungay still have 15 league games to play and at least one cup game before the end of the season. They will be playing two games a week virtually every week from now on – beginning on Tuesday evening with a home game against neighbours Loddon United at 7.30pm.
Apart from Saturday games they have other midweek games scheduled against North Walsham away (March 27), Wymondham away (April 2, Easter Monday, 12 noon), Attleborough (home April 10), Yelverton home (April 17), Scole away (April 24), and Kirkley and Pakefield,(home, May 1).
Now into the middle of March, Bungay have played just seven games since November 25.
