BY ADRIAN FRATER, News Editor
western bureau
THE ABSENCE OF uniformed policemen at Herbert Morrison High School grounds for a Captain's Bakery Western Super Football League game yesterday afternoon forced the referee to end the game prematurely as the grace period given expired without the home team meeting its obligation.
Referee Donat McKenley ended the Zone B contest between the home Salt Spring and Montpelier after 45 minutes as Salt Spring failed to provide the required number of uniformed policemen.
Ironically for the Salt Spring team, which is struggling after nine games with just one win, they were leading the contest 1-0 and looking quite good when the game was called off.
"The teams know the rules so the referees are not at fault when they fail to meet their obligations," said referee McKenley. "I was quite lenient with them when I gave them the entire first half to sort out their situation. Unfortunately they still failed to meet the requirement."
DEJECTED MANAGER
Carl Plummer, the manager of the Salt Spring team, was a dejected man when the referee ended the game. According to him, they had two plainclothes policemen at the venue and he believed that the fact that they had their identification badges was enough to confirm their status.
"Both policemen had their identification cards but the referee has decided to stick to the letter of the regulation, which calls for uniformed policemen," said a disappointed Plummer. "We tried to get uniformed policemen and failed so the best we could do was to seek the assistance of two off-duty policemen."
"We have had to be paying out $4,000 to police to be at our home games," said David Gardener, manager of the Montpelier team. "It would be grossly unfair for us to come here and play without adequate security in place."
While no member of the league's steering committee could be reached for a comment as to the possible course of action to be taken.
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