Ghan Kilburn City approved to play FFA Cup despite pending appeal after brawl

An amateur soccer club which was involved in an on-field brawl is free to play in the FFA Cup SA competition, as it awaits an appeal on bans from two other tournaments.

Ghan Kilburn City has been given the green light to play in the FFA Cup SA round one while it awaits an appeal on bans from two other competitions.

An amateur soccer club involved in a violent on-field brawl is free to play in the state’s top knockout competition, as it awaits an appeal on bans from two other tournaments.

Ghan Kilburn City has been given the green light by Football SA to line-up in its FFA Cup SA round one clash with Adelaide Titans on Wednesday night.

It comes after players from the Sunday League top-flight amateur side were involved in an on-field melee during a pre-season cup match against Adelaide Croatia Vukovi on February 21.

The fight between players and spectators left a player with a “sickening head injury”, according to one of the clubs involved.

The SA Amateur Soccer League handed down penalties to both clubs last month.

As part of the sanctions, Ghan was banned from participating in the amateur league Challenge Cup and Reserve Cup competitions.

It was also fined $1350 and started its league campaign with an 18-point deduction.

But Ghan is appealing the penalties and is due to front a hearing on Friday.

An FSA ruling has deemed the club is eligible to fulfil its FFA Cup fixture while the matter remains under appeal.

In a statement, Football SA said “it has no recourse for action to remove or disallow a team to participate in a competition with no sanction imposed”.

“To mitigate any potential risk, this match has been scheduled at VALO Football Centre which has in place a perimeter fence, field fencing and a players race,” Football SA’s statement said

Ghan Kilburn City will take on Adelaide Titans in an FFA Cup SA round one clash this Wednesday after Football SA gave the club the green light to play. S

The statement said the round one fixture needed to be played to ensure round two could get underway on the weekend of April 23-25.

It is unclear if Ghan remains eligible to participate in the Amateur Challenge Cup and Reserve Cup while its appeal is ongoing.

However, it is understood the club has received a bye in the early rounds of that knockout competition.

A Ghan spokesman said the club would not comment until the appeal was finalised.

Adelaide Titans president Claude Malak said his side was keen to be involved in the FFA Cup and looked forward to taking on a fellow amateur league club.

The on-field brawl between Ghan and Adelaide Croatia Vukovi broke out after Ghan scored a goal and players from both sides wrestled for the ball to bring it back into play.

The match was called off and both sides took no further part in the pre-season cup.

Adelaide Croatia – which was subject to one existing suspended sanction – was set to be placed on a further suspended bond of $300 and a three point deduction until the end of 2022.

One Adelaide Croatia player was also set to appear before the disciplinary committee.

Adelaide Croatia Vukovi has been contacted for comment.

The FFA Cup SA round one clash between Ghan Kilburn City and Adelaide Titans kicks off on Wednesday at 7.30pm.

The winner will progress to round two and host Salisbury United.

Ghan became Sunday division one amateur league champions last year and, two years ago knocked a five-time winner out of the FFA Cup SA.