CHEADLE TOWN 2, HYDE UNITED 1
Hyde United have been praised the way they dealt with an incident in their pre-season friendly at Cheadle Town where one of their players, a trialist, was sent off for allegedly making a racist comment.
The player, unnamed as were all the trialists, was dismissed with 21 minutes left after a clash with home central defender Jay Hamzat who was also shown a red card for a retaliatory slap at the right back.
Hamzat, who had been booked in the opening period for a hefty challenge, went in hard again which provoked the verbal comment from the Hyde player.
As the players left the field, Hamzat had words with the Hyde trialist who was sat in the dugout.
Referee David Burton had summoned Hyde manager Nick Spooner and Town counterpart Paul Marshall on to the field to explain what had happened.
Burton confirmed the trialist had been dismissed for making a “racist comment”.
“I would like to add that Hyde handled the matter very well,” he said.
Spooner said: “On behalf of Hyde, I would like to apologise if the comments were made, and we will be supportive of any action taken by the referee and the Football Association.
“We do not condone any form of racism and we will deal with it.”
Spooner pointed out the Town manager had texted him the following day and fortunately the incident had not damaged relations between the two clubs.
Town chairman Craig Brennan added: “Though it is purely hearsay, I have been told people heard what was said.
“And if that was the case, there is no place for that in football.
“We will let the people who are paid to make decisions deal with the matter.”
The incident sadly overshadowed a competitive pre-season match in which Hyde lost having been ahead before conceding two late goals.
Hyde had nine trialists in their starting line-up with goalkeeper Joe Green and new-signing Jason Lazenbury, making his debut, the only registered players beginning the game.
Town had the three clearest chances of the opening half as Kayle Power’s angled shot struck the upright, Pat Davin glanced a header wide and Green saved well to deny Callum McGlynn.
Green did well again to keep out Martin Pilkington who burst clean through on the hour.
Hyde went ahead midway through the second period with their first chance of the game.
A trialist centre forward latched onto a through ball and rounded goalkeeper Marcus Burgess before slotting home from a tight angle.
Both sides had been reduced to 10 men by the time Town equalised in the 77th minute after a break ended when substitute Adam Jones fired home a shot which went in off the upright.
Jones struck again with the winner six minutes from time when he headed home a cross from the left.
Spooner, whose players had picked up a few knocks in the 6-0 win at Abbey Hey five days earlier, added the match was a good opportunity to look at trialists – nine starters and a further three on the bench.
Most of them had impressed at the open trials the club recently hosted and Spooner said the friendly was a good opportunity to see them in match action.
“A few of them did well and we will have to make decisions. If we don’t take them, I know there a few clubs looking at them,” he explained.