SWINDON Wildcats general manager Steve Nell says officials at the English Ice Hockey Association ‘have failed to apply common sense’ following his side’s controversial elimination from the NIHL play-offs.

The Wildcats lodged an appeal yesterday after being hit by a heavy sanction for icing an ineligible player in the first leg of their South One semi-final at home to Peterborough Phantoms on Saturday.

However, that was promptly dismissed by the league to officially confirm the end to Swindon’s play-off campaign.

The Cats opted to name youngster Joshua Francis Kelly on their match roster for Saturday’s contest at the Link Centre but NIHL rules state players must have played 25 per cent of league games to be eligible to skate in the play-offs, with Kelly having played just twice previously.

Although he remained on the bench throughout the match and did not take to the ice, league officials deemed his involvement to be a breach in rules and subsequently changed the Cats’ 4-2 win to a 5-0 defeat.

That gave them an almost impossible task of overcoming the Phantoms, despite actually claiming a 6-4 win in Peterborough in Sunday’s second leg.

Although admitting his club was at fault, Cats chief Nell, pictured below, criticised the EIHA’s handling of the incident and believes the outcome to be unfair.

“I quoted some of the points in the rules of competition but they don’t want to listen,” said Nell.

“At the end of the day, it’s my error, so it is not a case of trying to blame anyone else, but just the way the league management committee have responded is disappointing.

“As far as they are concerned, that is the rule and that is it – tough. There is no thought about sportsmanship or about what it means and who it effects.

“Errors were made but there is what is right and what is wrong as well.

“We have had quite a bit of support from the fans and independent people are saying the same thing too.

“It’s a ridiculous decision. The people at the top want to be at the top to make these decisions but I don’t think they have really thought it through and they certainly haven’t used any common sense.”

Nell admitted the decision to use Kelly was his and that the teenager’s involvement was in no way an attempt by the Cats to gain an unfair advantage.

“The league management have gone on about historical instances and that they are just being consistent. Well, what happened in the past is not always right,” said Nell.

“I don’t really want to get into analogies, but the Australian cricket captain has been suspended for one game for cheating, whereas we have been knocked out of the entire play-off series for an innocent mistake.

“It was a mistake, it was my error. I have never tried to dodge that, but it was done with the right intent and not for any benefit or to gain the upper hand.”