A HEMSWORTH MW fan has been banned from the club for life after ‘attacking’ a Penistone Church player this week.
The NCEL Premier Division match at Hemsworth was abandoned after 75 minutes – with the hosts 3-1 up – due to an incident which saw Church player Kieran Ryan ‘set upon’ by a spectator.
Ryan – who had only just come off the bench – was involved in an incident with Hemsworth player Kane Swinburn, the former Barnsley FC youngster and ex-Church player, which resulted in the pair being sent off.
Ryan was then ‘attacked’ by a spectator as he walked off the pitch which was followed by both sets of players gathering at that end of the ground and, although the incident lasted about two minutes only, the referee Matthew Langdon called the match off.
The fan has been banned for life by Hemsworth while Church, although not reporting it to the police, have complained to the FA and the league about the incident, pointing out that there were no barriers around the entrance to the tunnel.
Both clubs must submit a report of the incident then wait for a response from the league and FA over possible punishments as well as whether the game will be replayed.
Penistone’s Dave Hampshire told the Chronicle: “It was one fan who ruined it for everyone else.
“I’m told he doesn’t usually go to games.
“Both sets of players dealt with it brilliantly and calmed the situation down.
“We will appeal anything that is given to us in terms of punishment because no one from Penistone did anything wrong including Kieran.
“We’re appealing his red card because it was only a push and we have it on video.”
Church manager Steve Lenthall added: “I don’t want to say too much about the incident but Kieran’s done nothing wrong – he’s stood his ground.
“He (the fan) shouldn’t have approached our player in this manner and it’s ended up in carnage.
“It’s something the league and both clubs need to look at and we’ll see what the aftermath of it all is.
“It was a disappointing end to a disappointing day.”
Church then travelled to Handsworth on Wednesday in the Sheffield Senior Cup and lost 3-2.
The hosts went 2-0 up then, after Ryan pulled one back, Handsworth made it 3-1. Nathan Keightley replied but Penistone were beaten.
Lenthall said: “We’re disappointed to lose but I thought we were as good as if not a little bit better than Handsworth for long periods.
“It was a great advert for the senior cup and played in the right way.
“We had to take more of the chances we created and we made mistakes for their goals.”
Athersley Rec lost 3-0 at home to Maltby Main in the Sheffield Senior Cup on Tuesday. The visitors opened the scoring straight after half-time then added a penalty and a late third. There are no Barnsley sides left in the cup.
Rec came from behind late on to draw 2-2 at Goole AFC on Saturday in the league.
The hosts were 2-0 up but Charlie Clegg netted in the 83rd minute and Joshua Brown in the 86th.
Rec are bottom of the league with five points from 13 games.
Worsbrough Bridge bounced back from a run of heavy defeats with a 2-1 success at Armthorpe Welfare in Division One.
Luke Francis and Michael Jepps netted before the hosts pulled one back.
Having lost 6-1 to top four sides North Ferriby and Hallam, then 4-1 to Nostell in the Sheffield Senior Cup, the Saturday success was a welcome return to form.
Bridge are now tenth in the table, with 22 points from 12 games.
They have at least one game in hand on all the sides above them.
