Fight ends junior footy

By Marc McGowan
ANUNDER-NINES football match was called off on Sunday after a fight broke out on the field.
Police were also called as the violence threatened to spill off the field between angry parents.
The incident erupted during the Dandenong and District Junior Football League (DDJFL) under-nines match between Cranbourne and the Dandenong Saints.
Cranbourne Junior Football Club (CJFC) under-nines coach David Harrison and one of his trainers ran onto the Carroll Reserve oval in Doveton midway through the last quarter after seeing one of his players being punched and kicked.
Mr Harrison’s son Matthew came off the field with three stomp marks on his thigh and there were also reports of spitting.
Another CJFC player was in tears and refused to go back onto the field during the game due to the “rough treatment” he had received.
“The unsavoury acts started halfway through the first quarter and then after the incident in the fourth quarter I decided that enough was enough – it was the final straw,” Mr Harrison said.
“I got to within 10 or 15 metres from the kid involved and pointed to him and said ‘that’s not how to play football; get off this field’.
“There’s no way I’m going to let my kids become punching bags.”
Mr Harrison then proceeded to pull his players from the ground.
Dandenong Saints president Sean Cornell, who left the game at half-time, denied there were on-going incidents throughout the match.
Mr Cornell said both teams took their players from the ground – not just CJFC.
His wife, Allison Cornell, was the executive on duty at Carroll Reserve and refused to comment on the situation.
“Cranbourne can say what they like. I want to leave it with the league,” she said.
“I’ve taken all the right precautions and the league is happy with how I dealt with it.”
Both teams submitted letters outlining their version of events and the DDJFL had a meeting last night (Wednesday) to discuss the matter.
DDJFL general manager Anne-Marie Brown played down Sunday’s incident.
“One parent ringing the police was a bit hysterical,” she said.
“No-one was injured and it was just two little boys involved in a bit of fisticuffs and the parents didn’t like it.
“We are looking into it.”
There have been suggestions that some parents are considering removing their children from the sport after the weekend match.
CJFC president Alan Courtney was disgusted with what took place.
“We play the game so kids can enjoy it and get exercise and we provide a service to the Cranbourne area,” he said.
“We’re disappointed to say the least when opposition clubs decide not to play within the rules and force our hand to have to go to the DDJFL.”