THE abandoned Bradford Premier League Division One game between Gomersal and Keighley last Saturday has seen the latter heavily punished and placed in real relegation peril.

The game was ended early by the match officials following persistent and prolonged challenging of their decisions by one Keighley player and the liberal use of profanities when doing so.

Given the unprecedented nature of this abandonment and with the end of the cricket season approaching, the disciplinary process has been accelerated, with several decisions being implemented with immediate effect.

Keighley have informed the league that the player concerned will not be selected for any of their remaining three games pending an investigation by the league’s disciplinary officer.

This investigation will be consistent with the league’s established disciplinary regime, with the outcome posted on the league website in due course.

Four clubs, including Keighley, have been issued with warnings for unacceptable levels of indiscipline this season.

All have been warned as to their future conduct and instructed to make it clear to all of their players that match officials must be respected at all times, irrespective of the decisions they make.

As part of this warning, these clubs were issued with a suspended 30-point penalty, which was to be applied should any player transgress either during the rest of this or the 2023 season.

The role of the Keighley player in the incidents at Gomersal last Saturday has been deemed by the league’s disciplinary officer to breach the terms of the club warning, thereby triggering the points deduction penalty.

Both the Keighley first and second XIs have therefore had a 30-point penalty applied to their league points with immediate effect, meaning the former are now just two points above the relegation zone.

As Keighley have been held responsible for last Saturday's abandonment, the result of the game, originally recorded as an abandoned game with five points allocated to each team, plus bonus points earned by each side, has been changed.

The game has been awarded to Gomersal and with it a 20-point allocation for the win.

Keighley are deemed to have lost the game and will receive zero points.

Bill Holmes, the league’s disciplinary officer said: “It is very sad that the values of the Bradford Premier League were sullied and besmirched at Gomersal last Saturday.

“The league will support our match officials in maintaining discipline during games and both players and clubs must understand that the league now has a robust and consistent disciplinary process to assist them in that regard.”