"Cheat" claims forces early finish to Kent League match - EXCLUSIVE

Yesterday’s Kent Premier League game between Lordswood and Erith & Belvedere was abandoned after an hour, after it was alleged that one of the assistants at the game was called “a cheat” by one Lordswood official, writes Stephen McCartney.

Ramsgate based Referee Mr Andy Carter abandoned the game, with the score at 0-0, due to “irregularities” - but has previous between the two clubs.

Mr Carter, a former Army Sergeant, sent off Erith & Belvedere midfielder Mark Nougher for wearing incorrectly coloured cycling shorts in the corresponding fixture last season.

And Mr Carter announced that yesterday’s match, which attracted a crowd of just 65, was abandoned following comments made by a Lordswood official, who disputed an offside decision.

But www.kentishfootball.co.uk has learnt today that no swear words were used during the outburst, just the alleged words of “Linesman you’re a cheat!”

Lordswood club official, Mr Darrell Harman, explained the controversial events at Martyn Grove, North Dane Way, Lordswood yesterday.

In a statement issued to www.kentishfootball.co.uk,  Mr Harman said: “After 58 minutes Mr Carter approached the Lordswood bench and asked Shawn Mitchell to evict the spectator from the ground but Mr Mitchell replied it was not his job as he was only the football manager.

“So play continued for two minutes and when the ball went out of play on the stand side, the referee summoned me from the stand for a chat.

“He said that the man walking towards us was to be evicted from the ground for abusing his official or he would abandoned the game.

“So I went towards the man, who is a committee member of Lordswood, and I told him what the referee had asked, of which he refused and sat down.

“I then went looking for Erith & Belvedere’s secretary for advice but within me walking two or three paces, Mr Carter abandoned the game.

“After a few minutes, the Erith & Belvedere secretary and myself were summoned to the referee’s room, where Mr Carter said that he would not tolerate that sort of behaviour, especially from a man who was older than him, and that he should have known better.

“Mr Carter then said that he would continue the game if the person involved had been removed from the ground.

“But as both sets of players were getting showered and changed, this was not going to happen.

“After a few minutes both the assistant referees, Mark Cheeseman and Mike Marsh left the ground bemused and embarrassed.”

A statement issued by Erith & Belvedere added: “There’s no comment to make. Both clubs are sending reports to the Kent League and the Kent County Football Association.”