Mulbarton Wanderers’ FA Cup Win Voided as Woodford Town Replay Ordered
Mulbarton Wanderers’ FA Cup victory over Woodford Town has been voided and the tie will be replayed in full on Tuesday, 29 September, after an appeal over an incorrectly applied penalty decision.
Why the replay has been ordered
| Key detail | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Decisive incident | 30th-minute Woodford Town penalty |
| Original ruling | Indirect free-kick awarded to Mulbarton after an encroachment call |
| Correct Law 14 restart | Penalty should have been retaken after the converted kick was disallowed |
| Replay date | Tuesday, 29 September |
| Next-round opponent | Gloucester City, at home to the replay winner on Saturday, 3 October |
The disputed moment came when Woodford were awarded a spot-kick in the 30th minute. The penalty was scored, but the referee identified attacking players entering the area before the kick had been completed and ruled out the goal.
Rather than ordering the penalty to be taken again, the official restarted play with an indirect free-kick for Mulbarton. Law 14 requires a retake when an attacking player encroaches and the ball subsequently enters the goal.
Woodford pursued the matter through the FA process. Mulbarton said they had initially been informed that an appeal from Woodford was not allowed, a position with which the Wanderers agreed. The case was later referred for a further examination by an FA sub-committee of the Professional Game Board, which decided the entire fixture must be replayed.
Mulbarton said they had made their case during that review but were unable to prevent the original result being set aside. In their response to the ruling, the club said they were deeply disappointed and argued that a win achieved on the field had been removed through no fault of their own.
The Wanderers also voiced concern over the wider consequences of the decision, warning that it could encourage future attempts to challenge FA Cup results over technical refereeing errors. They believe the outcome raises questions about the integrity of the competition and the game more broadly.
Woodford welcomed the decision, thanking the FA for its detailed consideration and stating that the replay would allow the tie to be settled under the competition’s rules.
The replay winner will host Gloucester City in the following round on Saturday, 3 October.
