Spalding encounter off - Iron receive bye to final of Lincolnshire Senior Cup

Scunthorpe United can confirm today’s scheduled Lincolnshire Senior Cup encounter at Spalding United is now not going ahead, with the Iron receiving a bye to the final as our opposition withdraw from the competition.

In a joint statement released by the Lincolnshire FA and our opponents, they state: "Lincolnshire FA regrets to announce that Spalding United have withdrawn from the County Senior Cup, meaning Scunthorpe United will now receive an automatic bye into the final.

The semi-final fixture was scheduled to take place tomorrow evening, and the Association had worked closely with both clubs, as we do with all teams in County Cup competitions, to find this suitable date for the tie.

However, Spalding United have made the decision to withdraw from the competition today, having felt they were not in a position to fulfil the fixture due to difficulties raising a squad. Whilst we are disappointed the fixture will not go ahead, we must accept their decision. 

The draw for the semi-finals was conducted on Thursday 21st November 2024, giving all clubs involved over three months to arrange their fixtures on a mutually agreeable date. Due to fixture congestion, this date was the only available option for both teams.

Per Competition Rule 13, Section A, all fixtures in the County Senior Cup must be completed by the end of February to ensure a March Final. This rule is in place to support clubs and help avoid potential play-off or relegation fixture clashes later in the season.

While Spalding United had looked to rearrange the fixture for March, this falls outside of the end of February cut-off date. To maintain the integrity of the County Cup competitions, and to ensure the competition schedule – as agreed by the clubs - runs as planned, we must follow the rules outlined in the competition rulebook. This is the same for all teams, irrespective of which cup competition this falls in. 

Lincolnshire FA remains committed to supporting all clubs participating in County Cup competitions and ensuring the smooth and fair running of the competition. We now look forward to the County Senior Cup Final, where Scunthorpe United will compete for the trophy.