Town youngster Walker Shabazz-Edwards’s Guyana U20s side have been disqualified from their CONCACAF U20 Championship qualifying group following the mass brawl which caused their game against Anguilla to be abandoned on Saturday evening.

The Guyanese were 5-0 up when an 85th-minute red card for an Anguilla player led to a punch-up involving members of both teams with Blues central defender Shabazz-Edwards studiously keeping himself well away from the fracas.

After order had eventually been restored, the referee issued a further four red cards to Anguillan players and three to Guyana.

CONCACAF awarded the abandoned game to Guyana but expelled both sides from the qualification tournament in Curacao, while suspending five Anguilla players and four from Guyana for four matches.

“After reviewing the evidence and documentation gathered during its investigation, and in accordance with the applicable disciplinary code, the committee has declared the match a forfeit in favour of Guyana,” a CONCACAF statement reads.

“This decision was taken after Anguilla received five red cards, leaving the team with fewer players than the minimum required under laws of the game to continue the match. As a result, the 5-0 score in favour of Guyana stands. 

“Furthermore, the committee has disqualified both teams from the competition, with their remaining matches to be recorded as 3–0 forfeits in favour of their respective opponents, imposed undisclosed fines and issued the following four-match suspensions to players from both teams: Anguilla: Keondre Belle, Keante Brooks, Shemor Browne, Khalique Jackson and Cardinae Rennie. Guyana: Mateo Clark, Shaquan David, Sheldon Kendall and Max Robinson.”

Shabazz-Edwards became the first Town player to represent Guyana at any level when he started for the Golden Jaguars in their opening game of the qualifying tournament, a 3-2 defeat to hosts Curacao last Tuesday.

The 18-year-old joined Town last season from Brightlingsea Regent having impressed while on trial. The 6ft 4in tall centre-half had joined the Regent from Ilford the previous summer.

Photo: Matchday Images