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Tuesday, September 12, 2023

'Rules have to change' as NLN match abandoned in 95th-minute must be replayed

Buxton's manager is calling for a rule change after the National League ordered their abandoned match against Scunthorpe to be replayed.

With Scunthorpe trailing Buxton 2-1 at home, the visitors assumed the referee blowing up early was because of the poor weather conditions and, with sheer delight, tweeted: "WE HAVE PICKED UP ALL THREE POINTS. GET INNNNNNN."

But that turned out to be the case as, five minutes into injury time, a waterlogged pitch meant the game couldn't be finished. Scunthorpe's match report said it was "chaos" as the weather switched from "sweltering heat to a thunderstorm".

A penalty was then missed by the Iron before the game was abandoned, with fans critical of the decision on social media.

Now, the National League has said the National League North tie will have to be replayed. Buxton aren't happy, seeing as three points against title-contenders Scunthorpe would've been a great result for the recently promoted side.

Buxton boss Craig Elliott told BBC Radio Derby: "We expected a better outcome, we hoped common sense would hopefully prevail but it hasn't.

"I'm really disappointed for the players and the fans who paid their hard earned money to support us and for it not to be a result.

"Scunthorpe have got their own agenda, they're heavy favourites to go and win the league this year. I think they'll be relieved and really happy with the outcome.

"From our point of view, we feel we've been hard done by, on social media the reaction to it is there's a lot of people thinking it's the wrong decision as well.

"What needs to happen is the rules have to change. It can't happen like that in the future, it doesn't seem fair at all. All in all it's been a really disappointing outcome, one I didn't expect to happen."

Elliott confirmed that there have been thoughts regarding an appeal, but that no decision had yet been made to carry forward.

The news of the replay hasn't gone down well on social media either, with several calling the National League's decision poor.

According to The FA’s Laws of the Game: “An abandoned match is replayed unless the competition rules or organisers determine otherwise.” 

National League rules say: "All matches shall be of 90 minutes duration. The half-time interval in all matches shall not exceed 15 minutes.

"Any match which is not of 90 minutes duration may be ordered to stand as a completed match or replayed for the full period of ninety minutes or be awarded to the club not at fault, as the board may decide, on such terms as the board shall decide."

Scunthorpe will also keep the gate receipts and, as more than 45 minutes were played, supporters are not entitled to vouchers under league rules.

You can read the full article here.