‘Ridiculous’ rule proves costly for Lancing

LANCING Football Club assistant manager Tom Gurney believes his side would have drawn in their 4-2 defeat at East Grinstead on Tuesday but for a ‘ridiculous’ rule.
Lancing assistant manager Tom GurneyLancing assistant manager Tom Gurney
Lancing assistant manager Tom Gurney

Lancers’ central defender Josh Spinks was forced off the field with a nose bleed, with the score at 2-2, when his side were defending a corner.

He had to wait for the flag-kick to be taken before being allowed back on to the pitch but the player he would have been marking, Marc Pelling, headed home the corner to give East Grinstead the lead.

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Gurney said: “It’s a ridiculous situation and there was nothing anyone could do. The rules of football have to change. We were punished for one of our players getting injured and then we have to defend a corner with ten men and without one of our best headers of the ball.

“Lo and behold, the player he would have been marking goes and scores, which was a real kick in the teeth for us as we had played well.”

Jared Rance volleyed Lancers into the lead on 15 minutes but Sam Schaaf levelled on 37 minutes with Lancing appealing for offside.

George Hillier-Jones put Grinstead 2-1 up on 59 minutes but Lancers levelled through James Wotherspoon three minutes later.

Pelling then netted, before Michael Belli sealed the win in injury-time.

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