CARDIFF’S 3-1 Championship victory at Wigan faces an FA probe after it was played with one goal BIGGER than the other.
Bluebirds caretaker boss Mark Hudson revealed two of his coaching staff spotted one crossbar was TWO INCHES taller than the permitted eight feet.
But Hudson claimed referee James Bell insisted it would take “two hours” to investigate the problem so the match took place with different-sized goals.
To add to the farce, Cardiff’s third goal – scored by Ryan Wintle – went in off the underside of the taller crossbar at the North End of the Latics’ DW Stadium.
Wigan boss Leam Richardson said: “It just summed our day up – if he’d had the free kick at the other end, it would have bounced off the crossbar and not into the goal.”
The EFL confirmed to SunSport that goal-line technology was recalibrated before kick-off, but FA Law 1, regarding the field of play, stipulates goals must by eight foot tall by eight yards wide.
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Furthermore, the rules state that if a crossbar becomes displaced or broken, play must be stopped until it is replaced in position – and if it cannot “the match must be abandoned.”
Yesterday’s game – which was delayed for just seven minutes over the crossbar issue – also raises questions over the integrity of the Championship as two of Cardiff’s three strikes were scored in the illegal goal.
Hudson declared: “Two of my coaching staff spotted the problem, which we tried to flag straight away.
“We were told by the ref that it would take two hours to investigate, but we just wanted to continue.
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“I did ask if we could just use the one goal for the whole game!”
Rugby League side Wigan Warriors also play at the DW Stadium, but they have not hosted a home game since mid-September.
The goals are dismantled by Wigan ground staff at the end of every game and then erected prior to the next match.
The Professional Game Match Officials Board, the body responsible for match officials in the Prem and EFL, were contacted for comment.
SunSport understands the decision to go ahead with the game came after match and club officials agreed to play as fans were already in the stadium.
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EFL regulations require match officials to ensure the Laws of the Game are adhered to.
And the EFL will now write to home club Wigan, demanding answers, after believing the issue had been resolved prior to kick-off.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
