An FA Cup qualifying match between Mulbarton Wanderers and Woodford will be replayed following a refereeing error during their recent encounter, the clubs confirmed on Friday. The original fixture, which ended in a 2-1 victory for Mulbarton, has been declared void.

The dispute arose from a first-half penalty awarded to Woodford. After Woodford converted the spot-kick, the referee disallowed the goal due to encroachment by Woodford players and awarded Mulbarton an indirect free kick instead. Woodford filed a formal protest with the English Football Association, arguing that the referee’s decision contradicted the proper application of Law 14.

An FA panel reviewed the protest, concluding that a technical error had indeed been made. According to the sub-committee, the correct procedure under the rules should have been to either allow the goal or order a penalty retake. As a consequence, the FA determined that the original match was not conducted in accordance with 2026-27 FA Cup regulations.

In light of the ruling, the FA mandated that the fixture be replayed in its entirety. The replay is scheduled for Tuesday. Both clubs expressed acceptance of the decision, emphasizing adherence to the competition’s rules and integrity.

This reprisal follows previous controversies involving refereeing decisions in the competition, highlighting the complexities of enforcing rules consistently at lower league levels. Unlike the more common outcome of a formal apology to affected clubs, as recently seen in a Premier League match between Manchester United and Manchester City, the FA took the rare step of overturning a result in this instance.

The fixture’s reinstatement ensures that the outcome will be decided on the pitch under correct conditions, maintaining fairness in the progression of the FA Cup qualifying rounds.