STRENGTHENING the squad this month has boosted Redhill's chances of avoiding relegation from the Ryman League but it also contributed to Mike Maher's side being knocked out of the Surrey Senior Cup by lower league Westfield on Tuesday night.
During the month-long delay for the tie– due to waterlogged pitches – Lobsters boss Maher has been busy overhauling his squad, making a number of new signings while letting other players move on.
But unbeknown to the Kiln Brow club, each player named in the team on Tuesday had to have been registered with Redhill seven days before the day of the original tie – and Westfield had done their research.
"If we had played the game on the original date it would have been our first team but we had been punished for bringing in new players and having a bit of a clear out," Maher said.
"We thought it was seven days before Tuesday night's game but Westfield had done their research and turned up with a list of players we couldn't play.
"It showed the benefit of having good youth and reserve teams because I had 15 minutes to get eligible players down to the ground. It's a shame because if we had been able to field a first team we would be in the next round. Westfield were a poor side."
