NPL: Olympic, New Lambton question crucial handball send-offs

Olympic's Joey Langlois copped a straight red in the 89^th minute when an on-target shot was judged to hit his arm from point-blank range in the 1-0 win over the Bears at Weston Park on Sunday. Adam Pearce saved the ensuing penalty to keep Olympic in front. The club were challenging the red card against Langlois at an Obvious Error Panel (OEP) hearing on Tuesday night.

New Lambton lost experienced defender Josh Piddington in similar circumstances on Saturday against Maitland at Alder Park but they were unable to recover from the damage.

Piddington was pinged for handball at a corner when a deflection appeared to hit him at close range from behind. He was given a second yellow three minutes into stoppage time as the hosts tried to hang on to a 1-0 lead. Braedyn Crowley equalised with the penalty and scored again two minutes later to give Maitland a miraculous 2-1 victory.

New Lambton coach Shane Pryce said he could cop the penalty call but he questioned a second yellow send-off for the "inadvertent action". He confirmed on Tuesday the club were taking the call, which led to a one-game ban, to the (OEP).

"He's gone up for the header, got nudged and spun around and it's ricocheted off their player into him from half a metre, which you can't do anything about," Pryce said on Sunday.

On Saturday, Edgeworth lost Aaron Oppedisano to a straight red for fouling Kale Bradbery in the 48^th minute of their 2-0 home loss to Lambton Jaffas.

Oppedisano was deemed to have denied a clear goal scoring opportunity, even though the foul was committed closer to halfway than the penalty area and two other defenders were on the same line. Eagles coach Peter McGuinness said the club would consider a challenge to the card. Oppedisano copped a one-game ban.

Josh Haines (Adamstown) and Angelo Calfo (Weston) were given only the mandatory one-match suspension for their red cards.