Laws confident on FA charge

Last updated : 30 January 2006 By Daniel Elwes
Both Scunthorpe and Rovers have been accused of failing to control their players in last Saturday's game at Glanford Park.

It relates to an incident in the closing stages that saw both sides reduced to 10 men.

First to go was Doncaster's James Coppinger, who was given a straight red card for a late tackle on Ian Baraclough.

And Iron striker Steve Torpey quickly followed, as his response to the tackle was to confront Coppinger and earn himself an early bath for violent conduct.

It sparked a mass melee which involved 18 players. Laws hinted at the time that the incident may end Torpey's career at the club, but now that the club has found itself in the dock he has played down the incident.

He told the Scunthorpe Telegraph: "The players were doing the job that the referee could have been doing.

"When you look at the video closely, most players are there to cool things down and pull people away."