PENDLE FOREST have been thrown out of the Cowling Cup -- but there is no way back for Long Lee.

The Lancashire club admitted playing an ineligible player, but after being dismissed from the competition by the League Executive they lodged an appeal to a meeting of the full league. But at a meeting on Monday the earlier decision was upheld.

"The Fence club's appeal was listened to, however, after a lengthy discussion the voting was heavily against them," said a league official after the meeting.

Young player, Peter Hakin, played for Forest in their semi-final victory over Long Lee, and had also played in earlier rounds against Thornton and Cononley. But at the start of the season he had played in the league's senior cup competition - the Wynn Cup - for Jimmy Nelson's.

In a letter to all clubs, pleading for mercy, Forest claimed they did not know Hakin was in breach of the rules.

Other clubs rejected their pleas by a substantial majority and backed the Executive Committee's decision.

They were left with decision on what to do about the competition. Pendle Forest's appeal meant the scheduled date for the final had already past, and they could either re-instate Long Lee, or would have to replay earlier rounds. With the end of the season looming they decided not the play the final.

"Again it was a lengthy discussion, but the decision was taken not to play the final," said fixtures secretary, Trevor Coe.

KN Sport - Opinion

THE Craven League this week upheld the rule of law in modern-day sport -- and should be congratulated for taking their stand.

After Pendle Forest played an ineligible player in the semi-final of the Cowling Cup pressure was applied -- both from the offending club and other quarters -- to allow the transgression to go unpunished.

It is therefore tempting to say the decision they took, to expel the Lancashire club from the competition, was a brave one. But in truth they could have reached no other decision if sport was to retain its integrity.

In an age where other governing bodies are happy to change the 'rules' of their games at the drop of a hat, local cricket remains steadfast.

Monday's meeting of the league committee had a simple decision to make: 'Have they broken the rules?' If the answer was 'Yes' there could be only one outcome. It is the responsibility of all clubs - in any game - to make sure they know the rules, and even more importantly, to know they are not breaking them.

The league could not -- and should not -- get involved in semantics of 'how much' the rules were broken. The next club might have broken them only a little bit more, and before long the rules themselves would be totally worthless.

By far the more difficult decision was what to do about the Cowling Cup itself. Because the infringement went back to the early part of the competition it would have involved a complicated play-off and with time running out at the end of the season the decision not to hold a final, although hard on legitimate finalists Barrowford, was the most pragmatic.

It will be the first time the cup has not been awarded and the gap which will remain in the league handbook will act as a cautionary reminder to all clubs for years to come.