High pitch drama

By Gavin Staindl
BERWICK City is in the middle of an officiating controversy after the nominated referee for the Division Two Berwick City v Southern Suburbs soccer tie abandoned the match because of poor pitch conditions.
In peculiar circumstances, the reserves game was abandoned midway through the match after the referees for both matches consulted and agreed to postpone the match until the Queen’s Birthday weekend.
Because of two parallel drainage ditches that ran up the ground the game was cited as “unplayable” and “dangerous”, despite Berwick City’s best efforts to pack the shallow ditches with sand.
“I have seen worse pitches in the league,” said Berwick City president Dave Mackie. “We are off to play Heatherton next week and their pitch is worst than ours.
“But there is no use moaning about it. The referees are the ones in charge and at the end of the day it is their call.”
Football Federation Victoria and Casey Council have both been informed of the incident and both will do separate inspections of the ground.
Also in State League Division Two, the CASEY COMETS recorded their first win of the season beating Knox City 3-1 at Comets Stadium.
In the provisional leagues BERWICK KINGS beat a quickly improving ENDEAVOUR UNITED 1-0 at Betula Park in their Provisional Two match-up.
After calling on under-18s players to make up numbers last week, Endeavour United was able to fill two senior sides this week.
In State Provisional League One, DOVETON lost 0-2 against Mooroolbark at Waratah Reserve.