Official Match Report

Match Report: East Bentleigh vs. Keon Park**
Kickoff: 4:00 PM at Monash University, Pitch 2

The match began under challenging conditions, with temperatures exceeding 30°C. East Bentleigh started strongly, scoring the first goal, and the game progressed smoothly despite the heat. As the referee, I called for the first water break at the 21st minute of the first half to ensure player safety. After a 2-minute break, play resumed.
Koen Park responded well, equalizing with a goal at the 30th minute. However, shortly after, the East Bentleigh coach approached the assistant referee (Alfred) to express concerns about the extreme heat. He argued that the conditions were unsafe for the players, even mentioning that his daughter, who was on the field, could be at risk of a heat-related health issue, such as a heart attack.
I intervened and offered several options to address the situation: making substitutions, allowing players to leave the game, or arranging a second water break.
Despite these suggestions, the East Bentleigh coach insisted that he did not want to continue the match.
I then consulted with the Keon Park coach and players, who confirmed they were comfortable continuing the game despite the high temperatures.
However, the East Bentleigh coach ultimately decided to forfeit the match.
As a result, the game concluded at the 42nd minute of the first half.