Highworth Town 1 Bishops Cleeve 2 (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Highworth Town 1 Bishops Cleeve 2

MUCH of the game saw a considerably improved performance from Highworth against high-flying Bishops Cleeve who, historically, have always been a bogey team for the Town.

By and large, the first half of this GLS Hellenic League Premier Division match was dominated by Bishops playing with a more physical approach and using their superior speed effectively.

As a result, Bishops led 2-0 at half time by converting the only two clear chances they created.

Mark Ayres, in goal for Highworth, was unlucky when the power of a shot just succeeded in beating his dive.

The second-half saw Highworth competing equally with Bishops and their attacking play was rewarded when Phil Corcoran was fouled by the last defender when clean through.

Corcoran coolly converted the resulting penalty kick.

However, the incident was to a great degree responsible for the problems that arose in the game after this.

The referee, who until that time had officiated effectively, chose to ignore the 'last defender' rule and only showed a yellow card.

From then on, the officials began to lose control of the game.

As a result, the scenes that followed were the worst that I have experienced in considerably more than 50 years of involvement with football and sport generally, at all levels.

A Highworth player's rash challenge, immediately in front of the Bishop's dugout, correctly led to his dismissal from the game but precipitated an attack by the Bishops' bench, which resulted in the Town bench joining in the fracas.

Despite this being in the clear view of the referee and with one of his assistants within yards, no action was taken and thus the so-called "beautiful game" was further sullied.

What action, if any, the disciplinary bodies will take over such a disgraceful affair has to be awaited.

However, sport and the game of football and in particular both Highworth Town and Bishops Cleeve are already the losers.