Top referee Anthony Francis and referees’ assistants Anthony Bailey and Tracy Adams could all be sanctioned for dragging last week’s First Division Shield match involving Somerset Eagles and Southampton Rangers at BAA Field into controversy.

Rangers won the contest 5-4 on penalty kicks but senior ref Francis broke the rules governing the competition by allowing the match to go straight into penalties instead of 30 minutes extra-time.

The two clubs remained dead-locked at 2-2 at the end of 90 minutes.

Francis has since publicly apologised for his actions while Bermuda Football Association (BFA) have ordered the match to be replayed on the grounds of “an error in the application of the regulations governing the Shield competition”, association general secretary David Sabir told The Royal Gazette.

He explained: “Under Article 5 (e): The duration of the match shall be Ninety-minutes, played in two equal periods. If at the end of regulation time the score is tied, then 30 minutes extra-time shall be played in two equal periods. If the score then remains tied, the game shall be decided by kicks from the penalty mark according to the Laws of FIFA.

“It is most unfortunate that the outcome of the match was not decided by the above regulations and we apologise to both teams and the fans that supported this match.”

The replay will now take place next Tuesday at BAA Field beginning at 9 p.m., Sabir confirmed.

Francis, meanwhile, took full responsibility for his error.

“It was my fault . . . I made a mistake and I completely accept the fact that I did not follow competition rules.”

However, the BRA president’s apology may prove insufficient as it is understood BFA recommendations to penalise all three match officials are currently under review.

When contacted yesterday BFA chairman of referees, Lee Holder, referred all questions to Sabir who commented: “Until this matter is discussed with the chairman (Holder), then we will go from there.”

It is understood one of the recommendations under review is to deduct each match official a percentage of their match fee, a punitive measure that has been handed down in the past.

In January 2005 referee George O’Brien and referee’s assistants Curtis Richardson and Adams were each fined half their match fee after the referee applied the wrong rules to a Friendship Trophy — which is governed by the same rules as the First Division Shield — quarter-final between North Village and Dandy Town at St.John’s Field.

Coincidentally, referee O’Brien and Adams were also involved in last week’s controversial Shield semi-final match at BAA Field involving Eagles and Rangers.

[bul]Bermuda Football Association will be holding their semi-annual AGM tonight at the Devonshire Recreation Club beginning at 6.30 p.m.