EXCLUSIVE: AFC Sudbury and Hendon face FA fines for roles in abandoned game

The Football Association (FA) have told the Free Press today that both AFC Sudbury and Hendon are being charged with misconduct offences and are facing fines for their parts in January’s abandoned league fixture.

The charges relate to the side’s abandoned Ryman League Premier Division fixture at Silver Jubilee Park on Saturday, January 21.

Visiting AFC Sudbury had twice led through goals from Ryan Henshaw and Craig Parker and were 2-1 up heading into stoppage time when an incident led to a coming together on the pitch from both sides, including substitutes and non-playing staff.

AFC’s Liam Wales saw a foul go against him in front of the dugouts which sparked the melee.

After a lengthy stoppage to get things back under control, the referee sent off Hendon’s Kevin McLaren and showed AFC striker Wales a yellow card.

Dylan Williams, who had been on loan to AFC Sudbury from Cambridge United at the time, left the field of play with a facial injury.

After a period of confusion for on-lookers, the referee ordered the players and officials off the pitch after abandoning the game.

An FA spokesman said: “Both Hendon and AFC Sudbury have been charged with a breach of E20 (relating to misconduct).

“They will now be asked to respond to that charge.

“Also, the Hendon FC coach David Smalley has been charged with an allegation of a breach of E3 (relating to misconduct).

“Both the misconduct charges are in relation to the events of that game.”

AFC Sudbury officials had been hoping to hear they had been awarded the three points to provide a welcome boost to their survival hopes in their debut season at step three of the non-league pyramid.

But the spokesman said that was a league matter that the FA would not comment on.

At the time of writing the Ryman League were yet to make an announcement concerning the award of any points from last month’s match.

At present, AFC are set to go into tomorrow evening’s (February 14, 7.45pm) home game with eighth-placed Worthing just two points and two places above the division’s relegation zone.

A 1-1 home draw with Kingstonian on Saturday had increased the gap from a single point.

* For live updates from Tuesday’s home game with Worthing, follow our sports editor Russell Claydon (@russclaydon) on Twitter.