Goalkeeper sent off for 'urinating in a hedge' during FA Cup qualifying game
An FA Cup tie between Blackfield & Langley FC and Shepton Mallet AFC took a remarkably surprising turn when a goalkeeper was shown a red card for urinating. Blackfield's goalie Connor Maseko went to a hedge to urinate before taking a goal kick in the 76th minute.
The referee wasn't having any of that and showed the goalkeeper the red card for his actions.
Blackfield co-manager Conor McCarthy spoke to the BBC about how the events had transpired in the FA Cup qualifying game, defending Maseko for urinating in a hedge (via ESPN):
"The ball went out for a goal kick, He needed to go to the toilet so he went up against a hedge and their players started shouting saying 'What's he doing?' to the ref. The ref went up to him and decided to send him off.
"He protected himself. He was inside the hedge. Sometimes when you have to go, you have to go. I was gobsmacked. I didn't expect that [the red card]. We're all pretty shocked by the decision."
Both sides took to Twitter to joke about the red card in FA Cup qualifying game
The red card was perhaps the most notable event of the qualifying cup tie, which ended as a 0-0 draw. This means that both teams will have to face each other in a replay. However, both teams have taken the red card situation in good spirits, tweeting jokes relating to urinating.
Blackfield & Langley shared a tweet with a shoutout to Shepton Mallet, while adding:
"See you Tuesday evening ( hopefully get plenty of toilet breaks on route)"
Shepton Mallet joked about the 'urinate gate' in a tweet, while calling on plumbers and portaloo companies to sponsor the FA Cup tie replay:
"The replay of 'urinate gate' is Tuesday 6th September as @bandlfc make the trip back to The Playing Fields in the @EmiratesFACup. After an unusual red card in the first tie (possibly a first) we are looking for a match sponsor. Plumbers or portaloo companies, take advantage!"
Blackfield & Langley will be pleased that going down to 10 men just over 10 minutes to the end of the match did not cost them the tie. However, they will hope to perform better when they go to Shepton for the replay, and perhaps win the tie away from home.