Rye back in FA Vase

The Quarterboys found out on Friday that their 1-0 defeat away to Amersham Town last weekend had been overturned after Amersham admitted to fielding a player under an assumed name.

Rye website manager Richard King, who did all the groundwork for the complaint, said: “We found another piece of evidence on Friday morning and that tipped them over the edge. They admitted it to the FA because the hearing was this Tuesday. They had no choice.”

Amersham named Matthew Stone on the teamsheet even though Stone was actually in Coventry and wrote on social network site Twitter during the game. Rye got in touch with Stone, who said straight away that he hadn’t played for Amersham on the day or since the beginning of September.

Amersham admitted to playing Eddie Savage under the name of Stone. Savage, an ex-Wycombe Wanderers player who also played the fictional character Steven Beale in BBC soap opera EastEnders until 2002, wasn’t signed-on for Amersham.

Rye also believe there was a second case of Amersham fielding a player under an assumed name, but haven’t received confirmation of that because once Amersham admitted the first one, there was no need to continue pursuing the second.

Like the 63 other second round winners, Rye will receive £1,200 from the FA’s prize-fund and will host South Park in the last 64 on Saturday December 8. Amersham’s punishment has not yet been announced, although it’s likely to be a hefty fine and ban from the competition.

Rye remain third in the Sussex County Football League after their match at home to Chichester City, along with eight others in Division One yesterday (Saturday), was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.