ESSEX: League game cancelled after bitter Braintree row

AN EXTRAORDINARY war of words has broken out between the Essex FA and Braintree Town after Tuesday night's Blue Square game with Maidenhead was called off.

Braintree chairman, Lee Harding claims the club was threatened with a "four-figure fine" if they played the game at the same time as an Essex Senior Cup tie against Hullbridge Sports – a game which Braintree lost 1-0 after conceding a first half penalty.

But although the Essex FA admits to probing the club as to why they had two first team fixtures on the same night, they claim not to have ordered them to postpone the match.

Moreover, the Essex FA have admitted that playing the two games on the same night wouldn't have broken any competition rules – but have conceded they may have considered fining the Cressing Road outfit if the games had gone ahead as they may not have been "acting within the best interests of the competition." -

However they deny making that threat to the club.

"If we hadn't been threatened with a fine why would we have called off the game?" argued Braintree chairman Lee Harding.

"This changes the way we will have to deal with the FA, we will now have to have everything in writing. We were told in no uncertain terms that we would have been fined if we played the two games."

Essentially the club wanted to play their strongest team in the league competition leaving their reserves and young players to make up the numbers in the cup game.

But that is nothing unusual as teams like Braintree treat the competition in a similar way as several Premier League clubs treat the Carling Cup, as a chance to blood their youngsters.

Indeed the Iron got through the last round putting out a second string side against Canvey Island.

A spokesman for the Essex FA said they hadn't instructed the game to be cancelled, adding: "Nor was a fine threatened, though clarification was sought as to why two of their first team fixtures were scheduled for the same night."

The spokesman added that the club had "ample time" to arrange the Essex Senior Cup match on a different night well before their December 5 deadline for completing the fixture.

But Mr Harding says the club didn't want to play it at another time because of potential replays from other cup competitions.

In a bizarre story of claim and counterclaim, Mr Harding also says he was disappointed that the FA didn't relax the deadline for the Essex Senior cup game, as they have in the case of Chelmsford City, Grays Athletic and Dagenham & Redbridge.

But the Essex FA says Braintree turned down the chance to play the match at a later date.

A spokesman said: "Matches are currently scheduled after this date due to postponements and orders of precedence, a pattern which could have been followed for the Braintree Town match if they hadn't declined this offer."

Again Mr Harding denies the club turned down the chance to play the fixture after the December 5 deadline.

He said: "I think we need a better consistency.

"We are very disappointed and frustrated with the situation we find ourselves in.

"All clubs should be treated the same and if some clubs can re-arrange games then we should all be able to."

It's not the first time the club has had a run-in with the Essex FA.

In March 2006 both Braintree and Chelmsford City were thrown out of the Essex Senior Cup after a punch up lead to the referee abandoning the tie.

On that occasion the Iron were also hit with a £2,900 fine.