Soccer: City to appeal loss of points

The long-raging onfield battle between Auckland City and Waitakere United yesterday headed to the boardroom with the revelation City have been stripped of the three New Zealand Football Championship points they claimed in Sunday's 1-0 win at Trusts Stadium.

Stunned, City chairman Ivan Vuksich said his club would be appealing the decision which he said followed an intimation from Waitakere to the national body after the game that all was not in order.

NZFC manager Glyn Taylor last night confirmed that in playing James Pritchett in the clash, City breached New Zealand Soccer regulations and the three points had been docked and credited to Waitakere.

The issue arose because Pritchett, who had been named in the New Zealand A team for last week's Agribank Cup tournament in Vietnam but withdrew after sustaining a thigh strain in the October 21 clash with YoungHeart Manawatu, played on Sunday.

Pritchett was, said Vuksich, released from his obligations [to the NZ A side] by national coach Ricki Herbert and team coach Stu Jacobs. He recovered sufficiently to train last Saturday and gain selection for Sunday's game.

"Sometimes mistakes are made," said Vuksich last night. "As far as we are concerned, he was released from his obligations and freed to play. We thought nothing more about it. It is, we feel, no different than what happened to Tim Brown. He was freed from his obligations to the A team."

Brown, initially named to captain the team in Vietnam, was granted a release from the side to further press his claims at Hyundai A-League club Newcastle Jets.

He played the last 15 minutes of last Friday's 2-1 home win over Adelaide United.

Taylor last night said there had been no protest from Waitakere United.

"The rule book is clear. Under regulation five, clause 12 (b), that a player called up for international duty is prohibited from representing their club for the duration of the tour or tournament they are selected for," said Taylor.

Waitakere chief executive Bill MacGowan reiterated there had been no protest and the first he had heard of the action taken by NZS was last night.

"There had been no consultation with me or the club," said MacGowan, who agreed with United chairman Rex Dawkins who said the club had no problem with Pritchett playing.

Under NZS regulation 5, clause 10, the game is now deemed to be a 0-0 result but with the points being credited to Waitakere who move equal top with Manawatu but trail on goal difference.

City drop from second to fifth. Grant Young, who scored the 88th-minute winning goal, has that taken from him in the Golden Boot race.