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Footage emerges after trouble boils over during non league playoff semi final

Footage emerges after trouble boils over during a non league playoff semi final between Waltham Abbey and Stanway Rovers on Tuesday night.

Stanway Rovers FC tweeted: “Rovers showed serious grit in the second half to overturn the deficit and silence a feisty crowd. Abbey went down to 10 on the 60 minute mark, shortly after Mardell levelled the score and Bethmann put us in front 5 minutes from the end. What a team, what a club 👏”

Stanway produced a 2-1 Isthmian League – North Division playoff victory, but it was marred by fans and players in confrontations in one corner of the ground.

Stanway’s Callum Robinson said after the game: “Yeah, well it went well, a plan to be fair. I mean, first half I think we were pretty much, we were spot on, it was just a bit unfortunate to obviously continue the goal, but we regrouped half time, Jay obviously said, look, be brave, play, and then we went out and done that in the second half, maybe we were fortunate with a couple of decisions, but that’s football, so yeah, we’re really happy.”

Interviewer to manager Jamie Shaw: “What a season it’s been, getting wins like that over Maldon and Tiptree and now in playoff semi finals against Waltham Abbey. How do you feel your plan has been put into action and how do you think the boys have risen to the challenge?”

Jamie: “First and foremost, Waltham Abbey have been an excellent team this season, especially here, after having dropped a few boots here all year. So feel like this would have been our toughest time we could have possibly had in the playoffs. And we came with a game plan and the boys literally executed down to a tee. And in tough conditions, we go 1-0 down, it’s very easy to kind of drop your confidence and your energy levels.

“And we come out second half against the wind and really raise the tempo of the game. Of course, they’re sending off help, there’s no doubt about that. Going down to 10 men, they retreated, but still ultimately, we still have to push enough to go get that goal and the energy that was shown for that period was just exceptional.”

Interviewer: “Moving on to a big final against Redbridge as they beat Felixstowe & Walton, how are you and the boys going to be preparing for that?”

Robinson: “Same way, we prepare for every game. We’re going to go into it with the intention of winning it obviously. I’m swinging their way but it’s in ours too so we’ll turn up on Saturday.”

Jamie: “I’m so pleased for the football club, the people that have been around the club for this time. Obviously we’ve made history by winning the league, coming into this league. We’ve seen lots of teams come to Stanway this year that have never been there before. I’m just so proud that we can have a home tie on Saturday. Hopefully a record crowd, everyone get behind us and as you’ve seen tonight we will give everything we’ve got to go for.”

Interviewer: “Lastly, young Orlando stepping up in a big occasion with Nat Mardel going off with an injury. How do you feel like he rose to the challenge?”

Jamie: “He is a success story for us because all of our young players have to. We knew that Orlando was an exceptional talent when came to the club. At times maybe a little bit frustrated because he found himself on the bench, he’s gone out on loan and he’s really grown in confidence and he’s come back with a different player. He excellent last week with Heybridge and then today he gets his chance and he probably won’t feel that in a long time in football, the feeling when he put that ball in. Amazing.”

Here’s how fans reacted as footage emerges after trouble boils over during a non league playoff semi final…

Alex Handscomb: As a neutral, you were the better team, until the referee made 2 bad decisions with the red card and penalty. That said the scenes at the end with several fans throwing flares, jumping on the pitch, and putting hands on players was awful

John Cruddas: Alex Handscomb we dont want that at the abbey, love the noise and banter but too far by a few idiots

@lovinglifelawsy: Nice fine incoming for failing to control your fans 🤷

@garyslade1987: Fucking state of it 😂😂

@jladbrook6: The rovers player picking up the green flare is top class shithousery 🤣🤣

@garyslade1987: If their heads weren’t already on Mars, that will have done it 😂

– @Lawrenc52859337: Violence during the Abbey game with the Chairman’s yes Man Simon Casey and the assistant Spencer Harrison and the managers brother all getting involved. @IsthmianLeague Isthmian League, wouldn’t a sanction not be appropriate there???

@ClaretBluBlood: Grown men acting like 5 year olds!

@Josh1410_: Took defeat well then @walthamabbeyfc 🤣🍼

@JackToulson12: Visited Waltham Abbey two weeks ago and none of these lot were here, they seemed like a very friendly local club. Seems like the playoff pressure got to their fans..

– @refsupportuk: Many with the emotional intelligence of a pebble in this. Embarrassing. Hope the ref team were ok having to deal with this.

@Love_non_league: Seems to be alot of Agro on the pitch recently… is it increasing…

@staffsref: In my long experience as a non-league match official, it’s far more common than when I started in 2000. To one degree or another, there’s a confrontation of some sort almost every game.

@paulhog: Yep think there was a little bit of that last night Croydon v sittingbourne

@tonyfisher559: Yes a final erupted after the final whistle the other week losers players and their supporters actual punches thrown disgraceful scenes …clubhouse closed straight away to get people gone!!!!

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