CHRISTCHURCH have been handed an FA Vase reprieve after Westbury United used FOUR substitutes in their second qualifying round tie six days ago.

Wessex One high-fliers Priory suffered a 5-2 extra-time defeat against the Western League Division One table-toppers at their Meadow Lane headquarters in Wiltshire.

Goals from Jon Blake and Max Wilcock saw the visitors go 2-0 up inside 16 minutes before the hosts hit back through a Dan Kovacs double and efforts from Jake Hiscocks, Steve Hulbert and Josh Ferguson.

However, Westbury were found to have contravened FA Vase rules by exceeding the permitted number of substitutes and the tie will now be restaged – at Christchurch’s MA Hart Stadium at Hurn Bridge on Wednesday, October 11.

A spokesperson for the FA confirmed to the Daily Echo that Westbury had breached FA Vase rule 15, which states only three substitutes can be used.

It appears Westbury – and the three match officials – thought the same rule applied in the FA Vase to the one which has recently been implemented in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup where an additional substitute is allowed in extra-time.

Westbury have made no secret of the fact they made four replacements – with a match report on their official website listing Kovacs, Joe Kirkpatrick, Josh Ferguson and George Bendle as ‘used’ subs.

The fixture has been re-listed on the FA website and the winners of the restaged clash will bank £725 in prize money and host Wessex One outfit United Services Portsmouth in the first round on October 21.

FA Vase rule 15 (paragraph C): A maximum of five substitutes may be nominated. A club may at its discretion use three of those five substitute players at any time in a match. Substitutions can only be made when play is stopped for any reason and the referee has given permission. Prior to the substitution being made, the club must identify to the match officials the number of the player out and the player in, in accordance with the official team sheet.