RIVAL football clubs have reacted angrily after a youth league committee refused to punish a team for fielding an over-age player.

Green Baize Youth under 11s from Swindon are currently top of the Wiltshire Times and Chippenham News Mid Wilts Youth and Minor League Division One.

Tomorrow they are due to play Warminster Highbury in the league cup final at Melksham Town.

The league committee learned that Green Baize had been playing an over-age player after similar complaints were made about the boy playing for Lydiard Boys in the Swindon and District League.

Green Baize are vying with Trowbridge Wanderers for the Mid-Wilts under 11s title. They also knocked Trowbridge Wanderers out of the league cup in the semi-finals.

The latest incident has sparked claims of a cover up and club officials and parents say they fear disciplinary action by the Wiltshire FA if they talk publicly about the row.

A league manager, who did not wish to be named, said: "The league committee had an emergency meeting last week and decided that no action would be taken against the club as it was too close to the cup final to do anything about it.

"Because they have not taken action against the cup final they will not be deducting any league points. So Green Baize could win the league cup final and the league while breaking the rules.

"This has caused uproar among the other clubs playing in the under 11s league. Usually when a club are in breach of any rules they are disqualified from a cup competition or league points deducted. For some reason Green Baize have not been penalised."

Officials of the league and Green Baize declined to comment.

Parents and club officials say they will stage a protest at tomorrow's cup final.

Wiltshire FA secretary Mike Benson said: "This is a matter for the league committee to decide under its rules and it is perfectly entitled to make the decision it has."