Guernsey storm on as Wednesbury fume

Guernsey 3, Wednesbury 0

GUERNSEY stormed into the fourth round of the HA Trophy with a deserved victory over disappointing opponents. But the match ended in controversy, with the visiting Wednesbury players claiming that umpires Ray Bushell and Chris de Putron were biased. One went as far as abusing Bushell to his face as he shook his hand after the match.

'It was totally uncalled for; a ridiculous comment,' was all that a remarkably sedate Bushell would later say about that incident.

'They were complaining that I stopped their 16-yard hit; then they started moaning about a third man obstruction, which was rubbish.

'I'm part of the field of play: if the ball hits me, play continues, the same as if I were a goal post.'

The moment which sparked the complaints came four minutes from time.

Guernsey were leading 1-0 through TJ Ozanne and were pushing their opponents back when a defender tried to take a defensive hit quickly.

The ball struck Bushell, who was walking away and unsighted, on a foot and rebounded across the top of the D.

The defenders stopped, expecting a whistle for a re-take. Guernsey did not, the ball was moved to Rob Newton, and he hammered a great shot past keeper Chris Lal - the only Wednesbury player who seemed to know the rules and who played on.

Wednesbury were enraged, several of the players shouting at Bushell. He conferred with de Putron that there had been no other infringement and rightly gave the goal.

A third strike for the home side barely seconds before the final whistle, courtesy of the impressive midfielder Mark Babbe, only further inflamed the white-shirted Wednesbury, who were lucky to finish the match with 11 men on the field, given the volume and language of their complaints.

The arguments continued after the whistle, though they should not take the gloss off an impressive performance by Guernsey.