Nature called, and the referee responded.
On the same week that the Springboks rugby team were forced to apologise for one of their players urinating on a tree during a training session, there has been a bizarre pee-related red card in the FA Cup.
During an FA Cup First Round Qualifying match, between Shepton Mallet AFC and Blackfield & Langley, the home side’s goalkeeper was reportedly red-carded for nipping off to pee in a nearby hedge.
The Blackfield goalkeeper, who was having an otherwise flawless game in goal, was shown a red card with 15 minutes to play after going to take a quick whizz in a hedge near the pitch.
76| Blackfield keeper is sent off for urinating in the hedge! Never seen it before. 0-0. #towncalledmallet
— Shepton Mallet AFC (@Mallet_AFC) September 3, 2022
Blackfield were posting regular updates from the FA Cup tie, but opted to retweet their opponent’s post about the sending off, as while as this one:
@bandlfc keeper #Redcard pic.twitter.com/EsQHXWiJpN
— ThoseWhiteLines (@90MinutesMore) September 3, 2022
Despite being reduced to 10 men, Blackfield & Langley did hang on to get a 0-0 draw that sets up a replay against Shepton Mallet for next Wednesday evening.
One footy fan was quick to ponder what the same referee would have done to former Spurs and England forward Gary Lineker for his call of urgent nature at Italia 90:
Imagine what the ref would have done to @GaryLineker! pic.twitter.com/50vJvEhXwR
— IanNockolds (@IanNockolds) September 3, 2022
That was not the end of red cards in the game, either.
Following a sideline spat, and the trading of some choice, verbose words, after a strong Mallet foul only resulted in a yellow card, the Blackfield manager was issued a red.
The visitors will now host Blackfield back on their home patch for the replay, and they are looking out for a sponsor to get on-board for the tie.
The replay of “urinate gate” is Tuesday 6th September as @bandlfc make the trip back to The Playing Fields in the @EmiratesFACup. After an unusual red card in the first tie (possibly a first) we are looking for a match sponsor. Plumbers or portaloo companies, take advantage!
— Shepton Mallet AFC (@Mallet_AFC) September 3, 2022
We eagerly await blurry fan footage of the goalkeeper’s red card moment cropping up in the coming days. One wonders whether an No.1 appeal will be forthcoming, so Blackfield’s No.1 can feature in the replay.
Truly, the magic of the cup.
