Eltringham to Referee Shrewsbury Match

Geoff Eltringham from Sunderland has been appointed to referee next Saturday's League Two game between Hereford United and Shrewsbury Town.

To date this season Eltringham has been in charge of 27 games in which he has given out 77 yellow and 13 red cards. Indeed he has sent off more players than any other referee at this level in this campaign.

The Bulls have already met Eltringham this season and he has already sent off one of their players.

That game was at Bury last October. The game was drawn 1-1 thanks to a Guillem Bauza penalty. Kenny Lunt collected two yellow cards and had to walk. Four other Hereford players were booked that afternoon - Stuart Fleetwood, Ryan Valentine, Bauza and Michael Townsend.

The BN reporter wasn't impressed with Eltringham.

Then with less than ten minutes of the half remaining, Bury were awarded one of the softest penalties I've ever seen. As the ball was swung in from the right, Lowe and Townsend tracked it across in front of the six-yard area with Lowe tugging at Townsend’s shirt. As the Bulls defender pushed his arm away, Lowe tumbled to the ground and referee Eltringham pointed to the spot. Justice was, however, seen as Bartlett dived to his right to save Bishops low penalty kick.

Eltringham took charge of two Bulls games last season, both on the road. He debuted in the FL at Morecambe as the Bulls scrambled a 2-2 draw on the opening day, then sent off Chris Adamson and Paul Downing as one of John Trewick's odder XI's crumbled 5-0 at Notts County.

Meanwhile Shrewsbury have also had a player sent off by Eltringham this season. Their captain Ian Sharps was given a straight red card in their home game against Gillingham last February.

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