Mulbarton Wanderers expressed deep disappointment after being ordered to replay the second qualifying round tie against Woodford Town due to a referee's error. The club lodged a complaint with the Football Association following the controversial decision in the 30th minute of Saturday's match, which Mulbarton had won 2-1 away at Wood, a member of the Essex Senior League.
Wood had taken a penalty, but the referee disallowed the goal after a Wood player entered the penalty area before the kick, and awarded an indirect free kick to Mulbarton. According to rule 14 of the Laws of the Game, the referee should have ordered the penalty to be retaken. The FA initially rejected the appeal regarding the incorrect application of the rules, but the case was subsequently reviewed by a FA sub-committee, which identified a referee error and ordered the match to be replayed.
Mulbarton, a team from the Isthmian League North, stated that the decision was final and binding, with no right of appeal. The match is scheduled for Tuesday, 29 September, with Mulbarton as the home side; the winner will be decided that evening.
Wood, a club based in Redbridge competing in the ninth tier of English football, welcomed the decision. 'Wood FC would like to thank the FA for the thorough consideration of this case and for the decision that the match can be completed in accordance with the rules of the FA Cup,' the club stated.
The winner will host Gloucester City in the third qualifying round on Saturday, 3 October, with Gloucester City, a team from the Southern League Premier Division South, initially expected to be the away side. 'We understand that this situation will be frustrating and disappointing for our supporters, especially those who have already planned their journey to the scheduled date. We share that frustration,' said Gloucester City, adding, 'We thank all our supporters for their patience and understanding while the situation is resolved.'
Replaying a match due to a referee's error is a rare occurrence in English football. It is believed that the 2006 lower-league match was the first in England to be ordered to be replayed due to a referee's error, also in a situation where a successful penalty should have been retaken. Last season, a match in the FA Vase was also replayed following a referee's error during a penalty shootout.
