Assistant referee struck by missile at Fulham’s Carabao Cup victory
Fulham’s Carabao Cup victory at Wycombe was overshadowed by an ugly incident at Adams Park on Tuesday night when an assistant referee was struck by a missile hurled from the crowd moments after the final whistle, reports BritPanorama.
Wycombe Wanderers confirmed the object thrown from the terrace struck one of the match officials as players were leaving the pitch following Fulham’s dramatic 5-4 penalty shoot-out win after a 1-1 draw in regular time.
The League One club has launched an investigation to identify the perpetrator, promising strong disciplinary action once the individual is found. In a statement, Wycombe said: “Wycombe Wanderers are disappointed to report that a missile was thrown from the terrace, striking an assistant referee, following the conclusion of tonight’s Carabao Cup tie.”
Police are expected to assist in the inquiry, with CCTV footage being reviewed to determine who threw the object. Fortunately, the match official did not require medical attention, but the incident has drawn swift criticism from both clubs and football authorities, reigniting concerns about fan conduct in English football.
Their joy at winning was somewhat muted by the unsavoury scenes that followed. The assistant referee appeared visibly shaken as stewards and match officials intervened. The Football Association is likely to await the outcome of Wycombe’s investigation before deciding on any further disciplinary measures.
Fulham manager Marco Silva expressed his delight after his side kept their hopes of silverware alive. “We wanted to be in the next round. We are going to be there. Of course, our obligation was to be in the next round,” he said. Silva added that his team improved in the second half, where they pushed forward to create multiple scoring chances.
“Second half, we pushed them back and created six or seven clear chances to score. That’s football – when you create like we created in the second half, we have to put the ball in the back of the net. We have to be clinical, we have to be ruthless,” Silva concluded, reflecting on the night’s events.
This incident underlines a troubling trend in both professional football and the behaviour of spectators, reminding us how quickly passion can morph into recklessness.
