THE term ‘comedy of errors’ hardly does justice to the bizarre events surrounding Bicester Town’s Uhlsport Hellenic League clash with Didcot Town Reserves at Ardley on Saturday.

The Division 1 East game was eventually abandoned due to floodlight failure after 65 minutes with the teams drawing 2-2.

But before then:

  • The muddy pitch only just survived an inspection
  • Didcot turned up with the wrong kit
  • Bicester’s keeper injured himself in the warm-up and had to be replaced
  • The referee showed the red card to the wrong player in a double sending-off incident
  • One of the dismissed players ended up in hospital
  • The players trooped off the pitch when five floodlight bulbs failed, and although they came back on shortly afterwards, referee Tom Simmons had already abandoned the game

“That was probably the sensible outcome, as the pitch had become virtually unplayable,” said Bicester coach Eddie Nix.

“Because of the conditions, players were sliding dangerously into tackles.

“I think a more experienced official would have called off the game before the start.”

Kick-off was delayed by eight minutes, when Didcot turned up with a clashing strip and declined the referee’s suggestion of playing with bibs.

In the end, they played in Bices-ter’s away kit, which had to be fetched.

With keeper Joe Allen injuring an ankle before the game, Bicester had to put outfield player Ben Gascoigne between the posts.

The match-defining incident came after Danny Bone put the hosts ahead from the penalty spot.

Bicester’s Gavin Kidd and Didcot’s Jack Kitchener launched into each other with two-footed tackles, which left the latter reeling in agony.

After consultation, the referee decided to send two players off – Bicester’s Jason Prpa, who was not involved in the incident, and Kitchener who went to hospital with an injured thigh.

Emmanuel Hammond headed an equaliser for Didcot, before new signing Elliott Powell restored Bicester’s lead before the break.

Ross MacDonald levelled for Didcot, who started the second half strongly, but the game was plunged in semi-darkness when five of the

seven bulbs in a floodlight went out.

Two minutes after the players returned to the dressing room – where the game was abandoned – the lights came back on.

Nix, who revealed Bicester had already appealed against Prpa’s dismissal, said “It was a comedy of errors.”

More like a total shambles!