Milton LindsayTrophy-chasing clubs are being urged to stick to the rules or pay the ultimate price as the battle for the Anglian Combination's pieces of silver nears its climax.Milton Lindsay

Trophy-chasing clubs are being urged to stick to the rules or pay the ultimate price as the battle for the Anglian Combination's pieces of silver nears its climax.

The league's senior, junior and reserves cup competitions reach the semi-final stage next weekend (February 27) - in a season which has seen two of the three contests rocked by expulsions at the quarter-final stages.

The Senior KO Trophy (Mummery Cup), saw Wroxham Reserves booted out for fielding ineligible players in their 4-1 quarter-final win against Beccles on January 16.

League fixtures and registrations officer Chris McCullough said a Beccles complaint led to an investigation which revealed that Wroxham had fielded three ineligible players, contravening the competition rule which bars any player who has turned out in at least two of a club's three previous first team games.

"Beccles complained straight away. We needed to take action fairly quickly. The rules are quite specific," he said.

In the league's Reserves KO Cup Bungay Reserves fell foul of the same rule when two ineligible players turned out in the quarter-final victory against North Walsham Reserves.

In the Senior KO Cup semi-finals Blofield will now entertain reinstated Beccles, while Horsford will host Mattishall.

The Cyril Ballyn Junior Cup semi-finals see Bradenham Wanderers host West Lynn, while Harleston entertain Thetford Rovers.

The Reserve KO Cup (CS Morley) sees North Walsham Reserves play Blofield Reserves while Cromer Town Reserves are the visitors to Beccles Reserves.

Another rule, also aimed at preventing artificial team strengthening, will come into play from the semi-finals onwards.

"We will be getting in touch with clubs to tell them that players must have played five or more games for that team or a lower one," said McCullough.