Low bar proves no bar to victory

Officials at Germania Dattenfeld admitted Monday they had been playing with goals which were 17 centimetres too small.

 "I have no explanation for it," club boss Bernd Holschback told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

 German Football Federation (DFB) rules state that a goal should be 2.44 metres tall, but Dattenfeld's measured just 2.27 centimetres to the crossbar.

 Dattenfeld had already played out a goalless draw at home when SV Straelen were the visitors for a match in the North-Rhine regional Oberliga.

 On Straelen's instigation both goals were measured and found to be too short. The referee decided to go ahead with the game anyway despite Straelen's protests, with Dattenfeld winning 4-0.

 The Dattenfeld crossbars have now been "newly adjusted," said Holschback. And the regional West German Football Federation WFV has turned down an appeal by Straelen for the game to be replayed.

DPA