Buckley gaffe forces Daisy AFC replay

Source: The Bolton News

10:30am Friday 6th November 2009
By Gordon Sharrock »

FOOTBALL: Daisy Hill have been ordered to replay their Division One game against AFC Liverpool, which they won 5-4 in September, because they fielded a player who should have been serving a suspension.

John Buckley, who is on loan at New Sirs from FC United and scored a hat-trick in Daisy’s win, was handed a seven-day suspension in the summer after accruing five cautions playing for FC’s Youth team and Mancat College last season.

None of the clubs were aware the suspension had been handed down, nor was the player, but it was later discovered that the he was ineligible for the game. Daisy Hill have been fined by the Lancashire FA while Buckley has been fined and handed an additional three-match suspension.

The NW Counties League have ordered that all record of the September 5 fixture be declared null and void and have ordered the game to be replayed.

Daisy Hill secretary Bob Naylor insisted neither the club nor the player were aware that he was ineligible for the game.

“We’ve fallen foul of circumstances beyond our control,” he said.

Meanwhile, Daisy Hill are on weather watch in the build-up to tomorrow’s Division One game at home to Chadderton.

Heavy rain forced the postponement of their Co-Operative Lancashire Trophy tie at Marine on Tuesday night and with more wet weather forecast, many of this weekend’s NW Counties fixtures are under threat.

Division One rivals Atherton Collieries are at home to mid-table Cheadle Town, kick off 3pm, and Premier Division Atherton LR whose midweek home fixture against Glossop North End was their third postponement of the autumn, travel to lowly Ashton Athletic.

Rovers League Cup replay against Daisy Hill has been arranged for Tuesday, November 17 at Crilly Park, which has forced the postponement of the league game against Winsford, which was scehduled for that date.

The home game against Bacup Borough, which was scheduled for November 24, has been brought forward to Tuesday, November 10, but LR still have four home and two away matches to be rearranged.