Derby side Melbourne to appeal relegation

MELBOURNE RFC have been relegated despite getting the vital point they thought they needed to avoid the drop.

Melbourne’s heroics against Dudley Kingswinford saw them claim a losing bonus point in a 14-19 defeat that moved them level on points with Rugby Lions – but ahead on points difference meaning it was Lions who suffered the drop from Midlands 1 West.

But Rugby Lions were awarded only four points for their 24-22 win over Hereford earlier this month. Lions scored four tries in the game and therefore should have been granted the maximum five points.

Chairman of Melbourne RFC, Peter Ilott, said he feels like he has “been slapped in the face” after their relegation rivals were belatedly awarded an extra point due to an administrative error.

Ilott said: “We have gone from celebrations to despair. A huge feeling of injustice and irresponsibility has been left in the Derbyshire side’s midst – it feels like we have been slapped in the face.

“Rugby Lions described the event as a ‘totting up error’ on their website – but more seems amiss given the timescales to rectify the standings.”

Mr Ilott said the team had launched an appeal in a bid to find out what has gone wrong. He added: “Melbourne are looking at the appeals process as it seems that the information could have been available far earlier than Monday, April 30, and with the new electronic GMS system, it is unknown how the error occurred.”