High-flying Netherton United's hopes of glory in Jaguar Division One of the Marshall Peterborough League were hit by a surprise 3-2 defeat at the hands of Sutton Bridge on Saturday.

According to the league results, Sutton Bridge's new signing Bruce Maistry scored a hat-trick for his side, but Netherton believe the player was actually a ringer.

They reckon the man who masterminded their downfall was Erik Tolnay, a former Sutton Bridge man who was with Long Sutton in the first half of this season, playing under a false name.

Netherton player and secretary Ian Hair said: "We thought something was wrong when they gave their goalscorer as Bruce Maistry at the end because their players were calling him Erik throughout the game.

"We have sent in a letter of complaint to the league and we expect the game to be replayed as we lost. No-one likes to go down this route, but when a team blatantly cheats there is no option.

"Everyone was down in the dumps after the game because we thought the defeat had ruined our chances of getting promotion.

"But we were given a picture of the Long Sutton team which featured the player concerned and it was definitely him playing and scoring against us for Sutton Bridge."

Sutton Bridge boss Nicky Scott was remaining tight-lipped on the issue. He said: "It was our best performance of the season, but I have been told not to comment on the other matter by our club secretary."

Peterborough League official Graham Phillips said: "It is a matter we have been made aware of and are taking very seriously."





A LOCAL side has been spared suspension from the Peterborough League by paying fines amounting to almost £300.

The March St Mary club were given a deadline of yesterday lunchtime to cough up for what league spokesman Graham Phillips described as 'general misdemeanours', but they have withdrawn their reserve team with immediate effect.

The Fenland side also settled a debt with the Cambridgeshire Football Association but despite coughing up, Peterborough League chiefs will still recommend they are axed at the end of the current campaign.

Phillips said: "Their fines began to mount up over a period of time and we tried to be as helpful as possible.

"But it got to a stage where we had to be heavy-handed and they would have been suspended had they not paid.

"We have given March St Mary the ultimatum that we will not be recommending they are re-elected at the annual meeting.

"As far as we are concerned they are not doing the business, but ulti mately it will come down to the member clubs to decide at the meeting."