AN INVESTIGATION is under way after a referee abandoned a Sunday morning league match in which an Ipswich-based side had FOUR players sent off and SIX others booked.

Suffolk FA launched the probe after the Jemsz Senior Cup match involving FlowSport Ipswich Sunday Morning League sides Wickham Market and AFC Maidenhall was abandoned mid-way through the second half on Sunday, October 21 with the sides drawing 3-3.

Referee Ollie Morris-Sanders had sent off four players from AFC Maidenhall - Stefan Garrett, Camillo Douglas, Aron Cook and Jamie Ishac - and booked six other players including player-manager Rick Andrews.

Garrett received his marching orders along with the home team’s Phillip Knights while Douglas and Ishac also received straight red cards. Cook was dismissed for receiving two yellows.

The Laws of the game state that a side can not play if it has less than seven players on the pitch, so the decision to abandon the fixture was made at the discretion of the referee.

AFC Maidenhall manager Andrews said: “In view of the ongoing investigation it would be inappropriate of me to comment, other than to say there was not a cross word between the two sets of players in what was an entertaining and competitive match in difficult conditions, which was a credit to both sides.

“If you look at AFC Maidenhall’s disciplinary record over the last three years since I have been in charge it has been exemplary.”

Jairo Marin, football services manager at Suffolk FA, said: “Where a game is abandoned it is normally a consequence of something preceding that, be it a broken leg, misconduct or an incident which has taken place, so we have to investigate what it is that has caused the abandonment and, where appropriate, a charge is raised.

“If charges are raised then the club will have the right to appeal which will go before a commission.”

Referee Morris-Sanders said: “I can’t say too much because of the investigation, but the reports have gone in and it is now up to Suffolk FA and the league to decide what action, if any, is taken.

“What happened is part and parcel of refereeing, and I have moved on and since refereed three games and have been fine.”