What happened?
The League One match between Portsmouth and Cheltenham took a strange turn when referee Ben Toner grabbed the ball and left the field of play, suspending the game. The incident occurred just 12 minutes into the second half.
Fan steps in
In a surprising turn of events, officials appealed for any qualified referees in the crowd to take over as a linesman. A fan from the stands volunteered and emerged to take over the duties, allowing the game to continue.
Injury troubles
This unusual situation arose because one linesman was forced off injured during the first half, with the fourth official stepping in. Then, early in the second period, the other linesman also picked up an injury.
Play resumes
After around ten minutes, it was confirmed that play would resume in five minutes. The match eventually restarted in the 55th minute, with the supporter now running the line.
No goals yet
At the time of the suspension, Portsmouth and Cheltenham were tied 0-0.
As the replacement linesman made his first call, the crowd cheered loudly in support.
Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.sportingexcitement.com/football/premier-league/liverpool-officials-sent-to-germany-to-scout-potential-transfer-target/
