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14
Tue, May

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The club's head coach, James Campbell told the Tobago News that they were on time for their game against St Francois National at the Chaguaramas Youth Camp ground which was St Francois' home ground.

He said that when they arrived there was some construction stuff including gravel on part of the ground.

According to James, when the match commissioner arrived he took two of the seven team list from them and when they asked about the material on the ground he said that if the stuff is not removed by 3.30 pm the game will be off.

James said that two soldiers began moving the stuff but when it was 3.30 p.m they asked the referee what is the decision and he said that the game cannot play but they could not leave the ground until 3.45 p.m.

He noted that St Francois arrived late but when it was 3.45 p.m and there was no further instruction from the referee they left.

However, he said he was surprised and very disappointed to learn that St Francois had been eventually awarded the points.

He said during the protest they informed members of the Disciplinary Committee that they had the state of the ground on video but an official asked them why they videotaped it and was told they were not interested in that.

They subsequently learnt that they had lost the protest. He added that they did not appeal because it costs $1000 to appeal and they realised that the committee seemed not interested in their version.

When Tobago News contacted the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation office, a staff member said that an official from the Disciplinary Committee stated that the commissioner and referee noted in their report that Phoenix were informed that the game would be played because the stuff was being removed and they left, hence the reason they lost their protest.