NON-LEAGUE FOOTBALL: Eynesbury Rovers boss Mark Ducket pledges to learn from lenghty ban
Eynesbury Rovers manager Mark Ducket. - Credit: Archant
Eynesbury Rovers manager Mark Ducket has vowed to clean up his act after being hit by a seven-game stadium ban.
Ducket has been handed the punishment by the Hunts FA after being dismissed from the dugout during his side’s United Counties League Premier Division fixture at Wisbech Town on December 9.
He was charged with two breaches of FA Rule E3 which concerned improper conduct against a match official, and improper conduct aggravated by a person’s gender. The latter charge is understood to relate to comments made about female assistant referee Joanne Hudson. Ducket was also fined £75.
His suspension would have started last weekend had Rovers’ trip to Deeping Rangers not been postponed. It will now begin when they entertain struggling Northampton side Sileby Rangers at Hall Road this Saturday.
Ducket said: “It shouldn’t happen but I got carried away in the heat of the moment during an intense game.
“I felt a number of decisions went against my team – the sort of basic decisions that officials should not be getting wrong.
“However, I hold my hands up and admit I did not conduct myself in the manner a manager at this level of football should.
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“I still dispute the officials’ version of events in the moments before I was sent off. While I accept I did use the word ‘cheated’, I did not at any time refer to any individual directly as being a cheat.
“I’m a passionate man – as anyone who has seen me on the sidelines will know – but I will use this incident as a learning curve for the future.”
Ducket also served a two-game touchline ban earlier this season following an incident during a game at Oadby.
Assistant boss Richard King will be in control of Rovers during Ducket’s latest enforced absence from the dugout. Ducket will not return until a March 24 league clash at St Andrews as things stand.
Rovers currently sit sixth in the Premier Division standings. They are attempting to finish in the top six for the third successive season.