FA Cup qualifying tie ordered to be replayed after referee's penalty error
The English FA has ruled that the FA Cup qualifying match between Mulbarton Wanderers and Woodford Town must be replayed after the referee mishandled a penalty decision. The rematch will take place on 29 September at Mulbarton.
The Football Association (FA) has ordered a replay of the FA Cup second qualifying round tie between eighth-tier Mulbarton Wanderers and ninth-tier Woodford Town, after finding that the match referee made a technical error.
Mulbarton won the original fixture 2-1 away at Woodford on Saturday, but Woodford lodged a protest with the FA over a call made in the 30th minute. Woodford had scored from a penalty, but the referee disallowed the goal because of encroachment by several Woodford players, awarding Mulbarton an indirect free-kick instead. Under Law 14 of the laws of the game, the correct decision would have been to order the penalty retaken, not to award a free-kick to the opposing team.
The FA initially said a protest over misapplication of the rules was not permissible, but the case was then reviewed by an FA sub-committee, which confirmed the referee's technical error and ordered a replay. The new match will be played on Tuesday, 29 September, this time hosted by Mulbarton. The FA said the decision is final and cannot be appealed.
Norfolk-based Mulbarton, who compete in the Isthmian League North, said they were deeply upset by the ruling, citing concerns about the impact on their club and the wider implications for the finality of results and the integrity of FA Cup football. Woodford Town, based in Redbridge, thanked the FA for its thorough review and for a decision that allows the tie to be settled in line with competition rules.
The winner will host seventh-tier Gloucester City in the third qualifying round on Saturday, 3 October. Gloucester City had expected to travel to Mulbarton and acknowledged the frustration the change may cause their supporters, thanking fans for their patience.
A non-league match in 2006 is believed to be the first in English football ordered replayed because of a referee's error, also involving a penalty that should have been retaken. An FA Vase tie was similarly replayed last season following a refereeing error during a penalty shootout.
