SATURDAY'S extraordinary events went down in Winsford United's history.
The North West Counties League Cup tie was abandoned in extra time after Jamie Williams became the Blues' fifth player in five minutes to be sent off.
His second yellow card reduced Winsford to six men and the minimum required for a match is seven. So referee Gary Hilton had no choice but to end proceedings with 20 minutes remaining.
Few disagreed that Mr Hilton had already done his damndest to ruin the match which, his antics apart, had been an entertaining game.
He had been controversial throughout with many decisions difficult to comprehend and the gay abandon with which he distributed yellow cards for the most minor offences threatened problems later on - and so it turned out.
Winsford had shown great spirit and they did well to come from 2-0 behind to level the scores and be dominant. With a little more luck, they could have settled it long before the fateful extra time.
The game had started at a tremendous pace and the Blues might well have had two penalties within the first fifteen minutes. Stuart Wellstead beat the full-back to get into the area but was crudely hauled back by his shirt. But, for whatever reason, Mr Hilton waved play on. Shortly after, the same player was hauled down in the area but it was the same result.
Home supporters thought it amusing but the Blues contingent had other ideas. To add insult to injury, Squires Gate were awarded a penalty on 13 minutes when a ball bounced awkwardly and struck Dave Turner on the arm. His reactions could not have been fast enough to make it intentional, but Mr Hilton gave the kick anyway.
The home team added to the score shortly after when the Blues defence failed to clear the ball and it was poked home from close in.
Winsford then began to put some fine attacks together and, on 41 minutes, Wellstead for once broke clear of the two defenders who marshalled him throughout the match and passed the ball inside to Chris Hutchinson, who scored with a fine low shot from 25 yards.
On the stroke of half-time, Wellstead's cross from the right found Martin McGrath who coolly headed past the rooted keeper.
The second half was all Winsford and they had several chances to stitch the game up, but they found the home goalkeeper in good form. On 53 minutes, Wellstead broke through yet again and, although he was brought down by the last man a clear two yards inside the box, Mr Hilton gave a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area, needless to say the miscreant went unpunished.
Some of the Squires Gate tackling was robust and Wellstead in particular was fouled several times with no protection from Mr Hilton.
Extra-time, however, started with an incident that was to cause all the problems.
A through-ball was collected by Chris Kiernan in the Blues goal, but Squires Gate sub Kevin Urwin followed through with both feet into a sickening tackle that saw Kiernan immobilised for ten minutes.
Mr Hilton did not even speak to the offender, so when the same player scythed down Wellstead minutes later, an all-out brawl ensued and Ian Wilkinson, just one of those involved, was shown the first red card.
The home side then took the lead when a corner was scrambled home by Paul Payntor and Mr Hilton showed Dave Turner a straight red card when he kicked the ball back towards the centre circle and it struck a home player some 30 to 40 yards away.
Wellstead and Neil Harrison followed them to the dressing room moments later for offences believed to be dissent and foul play, but not altogether clear.
The match was ended when Jamie Williams' tackle saw him receive his second yellow card.
UNITED: Kiernan (R Sweeney 105), Frost, P Sweeney, Boothby, Turner, Williams, Wellstead, McGrath (Griffiths 88), Hutchinson, Wilkinson, Harrison. Attendance: 51
