FINALS RACE BLOWN OPEN

Controversial call shakes up charge for Premier League top four

THE result of a vitally important FNQ Premier League fixture will lie in administrators’ hands after a farcical end to a Round 19 game.

Marlin Coast and Leichhardt are entrenched in a fourway battle for the final three spots in the Premier League post-season.

The Lions are second, three points clear of fourth-placed Marlin Coast, and their Pennell Field contest was one which could seal Leichhardt’s second-placed finish in the league.

But the result of their clash is subject to an investigation after the referee abandoned the fixture with just minutes left on the clock.

“I’ve never seen or heard of anything like it in a game anywhere,” Marlin Coast coach James Tweed said.

Under normal circumstances, the 4-3 score would stand as the official result, but this was anything but normal.

The referee awarded Leichhardt a potential game-tying penalty, and when Marlin Coast players protested the call, alleging the foul occurred outside the box and it should have been a free kick, several yellow cards were issued.

Individuals in the home crowd reacted loudly, and citing player, official and spectator safety the referee abandoned the game. The penalty was not taken, leading to confusion over the final result.

“This is a big result for both of our teams, it could allow Marlin Coast to move to second and we’ll be playing for fourth in the last week,” Leichhardt president Jessy Mulla told the Cairns Post.

Officials from Marlin Coast, Leichhardt and FNQ Football are all aware the score of a game abandoned after the 70minute mark will generally stand, while a game abandoned due to crowd behaviour could see the result reversed.

The circumstances of this fixture, and its impact on the finals, has complicated matters.

FNQ Football administrator Alex Srhoj said the game was being investigated, with a decision to be made within 48 hours. Srhoj said the safety of players, spectators and officials was paramount.

Should the result of the free-flowing, topsy-turvy game stand, Marlin Coast will move to second and be in the box seat of securing an all-important home preliminary final.

Any other result would make for an exciting, unpredictable final two weeks of the Premier League season.