Baffled Borough dispute cup call

Borough assistant boss Mick Catlin was one of a number of staff and players to arrive early at Fox Lane, only to learn that the pitch had already been deemed unplayable.

It was a decision which the travelling Gosport party – including three Exeter-based players – disagreed with.

And in the visitors’ eyes, there was no reason why the game at the Combined Counties League division one side could not go ahead.

‘They said it was a waterlogged pitch but I actually was at the ground and the pitch was fine, so we don’t really know why they called it off,’ said Catlin.

‘It’s frustrating.

‘We didn’t get a call until quarter to five and I was actually working that way so I was there early.

‘I was shocked when they said it was called off at two o’clock by a local referee and the groundsman apparently saying the pitch was unplayable.

‘In our opinion, the pitch was perfect.

‘We have reported it so we will wait and see what happens really.

‘It is going to be played again Tuesday of next week.

‘It’s frustrating for us because we have got three lads who live in Exeter and obviously they were nearly at the ground.

‘It is a frustrating night all round – and a costly one.’

The Hawks were also frustrated last night, although this time by events on the field of play as the defending champions crashed out of the same competition at Hartley Wintney.

Scoreless at the interval, the hosts netted twice in quick succession before the hour mark to render Matt Paterson’s late strike nothing more than a consolation as the reigning holders were dumped out of the cup.

And while Lee Bradbury did make a number of changes to his Hawks starting line-up, defeat at a side playing two divisions lower than them can only be described as an upset.

AFC Portchester were in far better mood as they thrashed higher-tier rivals Petersfield Town 4-0, thanks to a stunning 20-minute opening salvo.

The Royals, who ply their trade in the Wessex League premier division, proved too hot to handle for their Southern League division one central visitors.

Joe Noakes netted the opener after five minutes, before Jake Pepple’s quick-fire hat-trick ended the tie before it had even really got started.