Toolstation Northern Counties East League Premier Division: Bottesford Town 5 Liversedge 0

(match abandoned after 75 minutes due to lack of Liversedge players)

LIVERSEDGE'S punishing schedule of 12 games in 26 days finally caught up with them last night as they faced the ignominy of an abandonment at Bottesford Town in the Toolstation Northern Counties East League Premier Division because they didn’t have enough players to complete the fixture.

Jonathan Rimmington's Sedge had played on Monday night in a League Cup tie that went to extra-time, and they won it to reach the semi-finals, just one game away from an appearance at Sheffield United’s Bramall Lane.

That big day at a Football League ground seemed a long way in the distance last night, however, as their game on the outskirts of Scunthorpe was abruptly ended in the 75th minute with Bottesford 5-0 up.

After the game both clubs took to social media to make their thoughts clear.

Bottesford said: “Feel for Liversedge tonight. Given an impossible schedule. Trying their best but fixtures are massively against them. Fair play for the effort they are putting in.”

Sedge said: “It seems like making us play back-to-back away games, the second starting less than 22 hours after the first had ended (and that game went to extra-time), following on from playing four games in six days the previous week, might not have been the greatest idea.”

They later added: “We feel for those who turned up at Bottesford.”

Rimmington was also active on social media, saying: “Just to clarify we were star(t)ing with 11 as Rhys Davies was travelling down from Leeds but his tutor at university wouldn’t let him go early. He came on around 40 minutes after travelling.”

That is not the end of the week for Sedge and Rimmington’s beleaguered squad as they are due to host neighbouring rivals Thackley tomorrow night and Albion Sports on Saturday before playing their League Cup semi-final the following Tuesday.

Albion earned a maximum last night from a 3-1 win at Hall Road Rangers.

The Lions’ Jamal Stewart netted the only goal of the first half minutes before the break.

Albion’s on-loan Bradford Park Avenue midfielder Antoine Recizac doubled their lead just before the hour. and the contest was over seconds later when Stewart bagged his brace.

The Hull-based hosts pulled a goal back through Chris Spinks but with less than eight minute remaining it was a mere consolation.