Match abandoned in interest of injured player, wellbeing of other players: Cavvy
BOTH clubs have issued statements in the wake of Friday’s abandoned southern premier league match.
An 85thminute collision left Green Island’s Matt Milton with broken tibia and fibula bones in the side’s match against Caversham at Sunnyvale.
The score was 11 and Caversham was facing a penalty as the teams returned to the dressing rooms. After 35 minutes and the ambulance on the pitch, both teams were called on to the side of the pitch.
They were informed regulations stated the game could be abandoned if one individual agreed.
The Caversham statement — signed by club president Phil Collings and head coach Richard Murray — said it opted to abandon the game in the interest of both Milton and the welfare of players on both teams.
It added the prospect of a loss had not played a part in the decision.
‘‘We understand that some patrons believe we did this because we were facing a penalty and the prospect of losing the game. To clarify, the result of the game is irrelevant to us.
‘‘Our immediate concern was for the injured Green Island player, and the mental and physical wellbeing of the other players involved.
‘‘Today, there are more important things than football.’’
It added that it did not know the direction Football South would take from a results perspective.
In Green Island’s statement it acknowledged the compassion and assistance of Caversham.
Both clubs said their thoughts were with Milton and his family.
He was due to have surgery over the weekend.
WELLINGTON: Roy Krishna completed a hattrick to hand the Wellington Phoenix a lastgasp 32 win over Melbourne City last night and keep alive its hopes of hosting an ALeague home final.
Krishna tucked home the winner from a goalmouth scramble in the 94th minute to cap a thrilling contest in Wellington which the visiting side had mostly dominated.
Riley McGree scored twice for City, both times cancelling out Krishna strikes but the home team held firm to cement fifth place and line up a shot at a fourthplace finish in next week’s final round. City is all but guaranteed to finish sixth.
The Phoenix will need to pick up points away to Perth and hope Adelaide slips up in Brisbane if it is to leapfrog the fourthplaced Reds.
As has been the case for much of the campaign, redhot striker Krishna proved the difference.
His first hattrick of the season lifts him to 18 goals — two ahead Sydney FC’s Adam Le Fondre atop the Golden Boot race.
He also overtakes Jeremy Brockie as the leading scorer in a Phoenix season. Brockie notched 16 goals in 201213.
City deserved to win on weight of possession and chances, unleashing nine shots on goal to six.
Wellington goalkeeper Filip Kurto was immense, making a handful of sharp saves.
It was potentially the last game in Wellington for departing coach Mark Rudan, who was given a rousing reception by Phoenix fans as he left the ground.
A counterattack led to Krishna’s opener, a nifty finish after being played through by Max Burgess in the 27th minute.
City responded with McGree carefully placing the ball past Kurto in the 42nd minute after the Polish gloveman had made successive reaction saves to two fearsome Jamie Maclaren strikes.
Krishna scored against the run of play soon after the break, rifling home a leftfoot strike from the top of the box.
McGree’s equaliser was high quality, twisting to connect first time with a clearance that was moving away from goal. — AAP