THE thrilling draw between Wodonga Saints and Mitta United at Martin Park has been marred by controversy.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Little separated the two sides for most of the contest, with Mitta United clinging onto a seven point lead at the final change.
The home side could sniff an upset after snapping a 21-match losing streak a fortnight before against Beechworth.
Wodonga Saints threw everything at the Mountain Men in the final term who led by two points on the scoreboard with less than five minutes remaining.
In a low-scoring quarter the visitors had kicked 2.1 with the Saints booting 3.2 to set-up a thrilling finish in the dying minutes.
Sensing they had the match in their keeping the visitors started to chip the ball around.
Mitta United were able to hold their nerve and were two-points up when the final siren sounded.
Coach Phil Packer said what he thought was a two-point victory soon turned to bewilderment.
"As far as I know at the moment, the two goal umpires both had us winning by two-points and the scoreboard had us winning by two-points," Packer said.
"But the official score has been decided by the time-keepers who both had it as a draw.
"Obviously the Saints had one time-keeper and so did we so you have to take it as it is.
"I'm unsure at this stage if the club wants to appeal.
"I know the club has already spoken to Gavin Rendell (league administrator) after the match and he said to go off the time-keepers."
Packer said the most frustrating part was that the scoreboard dictated how they played out the match during the final minutes.
"Once we hit the front, we certainly changed our demeanour and obviously decided to chip the ball around and take time off the clock," he said.
"We thought we had done enough to steal the win."
Packer was disappointed that the game was umpired by one league umpire with the other a club umpire from Wodonga Saints.
"We are supposed to be a senior competition in one of the strongest leagues in the district, and I don't think having a club umpire for senior competition is acceptable," he said.
Packer said the draw could also prove costly with half-a-dozen sides jostling for the remaining three spots inside the top five behind Thurgoona and Kiewa-Sandy Creek.
"We didn't play well," he said.
"But it certainly could have ramifications."