PLAYERS are not the only ones to have brain snaps and even officials can sometimes make poor decisions in the heat of the moment as Patris and Exeter found out at Exeter Oval on Saturday.

Both teams were fired up for their first grade crunch game with both teams needing a win to keep their finals hopes alive, neither could have guessed that the game would be called off on the account of unmarked lines.

Bizarrely, referee Rod MacDonald deemed the Exeter Oval pitch unfit to play on because the lines were not clearly marked. While the lines were not coloured the indent on the sidelines and the goal box were clear to see.

Under the HSA rules Exeter has forfeited the match but Exeter captain and club president Phil Cuppitt said the club was appealing the decision.

"He left at 2.55pm and the rules state he had to give us until 10 minutes after the start of play," he said.

For the full story see the Southern Highland News, Monday, August 11

sport.highlandnews@ruralpress.com