HADLEIGH are fighting the decision to count last weekend's game against Bury St Edmunds as both a league match, as scheduled, and the Suffolk Chadacre Cup semi-final, which was due take place between the two clubs on January 20.

HADLEIGH are fighting the decision to count last weekend's game against Bury St Edmunds as both a league match, as scheduled, and the Suffolk Chadacre Cup semi-final, which was due take place between the two clubs on January 20.

The club, who had their best result of the season so far last weekend, holding Bury to a draw, have made vast improvements on the pitch over recent weeks and were looking to the Suffolk Cup to be the silver lining in their otherwise dark and cloudy season.

However, the decision to count Saturday's league match as the cup semi-final as well, shattered any hopes that the Layham Road side had of making it to the final.

In a statement issued by Hadleigh on Tuesday, the club announced they were to issue a formal objection to the Suffolk RU within the next week, regarding the insistence by people outside the club that their London League Division Three North East fixture against Bury St Edmunds last Saturday be played as a double header.

Bury are involved in another cup competition on that date and so were unable to play Hadleigh at that time.

Although Hadleigh offered three alternative dates, Bury were unwilling to play on any of these dates and instead they insisted that Saturday's fixture should be treated as a double header.

Hadleigh chairman John Halls, speaking on behalf of the club following a committee meeting on Monday, said: “Hadleigh made it clear to the referee prior to the game that the club did not agree with the game being counted as a double header, regardless of the outcome of the match.

“The rules require both clubs to agree alternative dates no later than two weeks prior to the scheduled fixture, but Hadleigh were only informed of this request on January 2, just four days prior to the game.

“Hadleigh and Bury eventually drew 15-15, putting Bury through to the final as they were the away team on the day.

“Hadleigh will ask the Suffolk Cup competition committee to consider their objection and adjudicate on the matter, but will nevertheless abide with the final decision.”

Andrew Sarek, of Suffolk RU, said: “Although I cannot comment on this particular case until Hadleigh's objection has been heard by the Suffolk RU committee next Monday evening, I will say, that when one of our teams is in the National Cup, as are Bury, we try to support them as much as we can with their campaign.

“As far as the rules go, we would hope that the clubs would have been able to agree to a date before the official date set by Suffolk.

“If this is not the case, then a date will be imposed on them by the committee.”

Bury are currently top of their league and have made it through to the fifth round of the national EDF Senior Vase.