FIGHTING MADRAS, BLACK STARS TEAMS TO FACE DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE
The St Ann Major League champions are expected to be decided on Sunday, July 14.
On Thursday evening, July 11, the final between Exchange FC and Steer Town FC was called off 15 minutes into the game with Exchange leading 1-0 at Drax Hall.
(The lights didn’t work)
St Ann FA President Danny Beckford said the match will be completed, with kick-off time scheduled to be 4 p.m. Some fans had said they expected the match to be played over, with the full 90 minutes, but Beckford said that would not be.
The match was called off because of poor lighting. Beckford said an issue with the lighting resulted in the termination of the match. He said several reports had been lodged with the JPS St Ann’s Bay office to fix what appeared to be a simple problem but that the light and power company’s crews had not dealt with the issue up to Saturday evening.
ON-FIELD BRAWL IN THIRD-PLACE MATCH
Meanwhile, a Disciplinary Committee is to meet by Wednesday, July 17, to deal with a brawl on the pitch that ended the third-place playoff between defending champions Madras and Black Stars. The match had been an untidy one from early and got progressively worse until it was suspended with Madras leading 1-0.
The fighting and reported threats on the field at Drax Hall followed allegations by one play about spitting by an opponent. A fight broke out among players of both teams leading also to fans leaving the stands and going onto the field
Police intervened in the ugly scenes that saw knives being drawn and bottles brandished. Football fans and observers at the match have criticized the security and handling by the referee.
