How a swarm of bees stung cup hopefuls
Most teams in Britain can say the elements have cost them a fixture before - but who can say they have beaten by a swarm of bees.
Well that was exactly the case as Morda United, on the outskirts of Shropshire, were defeated in cup action last night.
They arrived to take on Guilsfield Reserves in the Mid Wales Trophies Consolation Cup, but was to be sting in the tail at the Welsh village's Community Ground.
There was a buzz to the tie as they bumbled out of the changing rooms, only to find there were more than 22 players and the officials out there on the field of play.
The aforementioned pack of insects had strayed offside and onto one of the goalposts, taking down the game just as it was about to get into flight.
Referee Roger Parker was forced to mind his own beeswax and order that the teams head back to Morda, where the match could still be played.
It was the second time that the tie had been postponed, too, the first due to a waterlogged pitch. There was little option but to switch the venue to the away side.
There were plenty of busy bees when they reached Weston Road, where club secretary Rob Drury marked the pitch while other officials erected the nets in under 10 minutes.
Home comforts appeared to clip Morda's wings, though, as they lost 3-1.
The Guils proved to be the bees knees as they progressed with a penalty from Sam Griffiths and two goals from skipper Phil Turnbull, after the hosts had levelled through Danny Owen's header.
The man in the middle could scarcely bee-lieve the turn of events, Parker saying: "This is the first time in 35 years of refereeing that I have had to postpone a match because of that."
