RUGBY LEAGUE:Officials are disciplined

The referee and touch-judge involved in the error that led to a crucial try being wrongly awarded in a first division match on Sunday have both been disciplined, writes Dave Hadfield.

The referee, Ian Ollerton, awarded a try in the corner to the Salford winger, Phil Ford, late in the second half of their match against Sheffield Eagles. The touch-judge, Fred Royales, was ideally placed and signalled to the unsighted referee that Ford had touched down Steve Blakeley's kick for the try.

Television replays showed that Ford had been a couple of feet away from making contact before the ball was knocked dead by Sheffield's Bright Sodje.

Ollerton is unlikely to figure in first division matches in the immediate future, while Royales was initially said to have been "struck off" the touch-judge list, but is now described as having had "his position reassessed".