MID Wales football’s shortage of match officials has now reached crisis point.

Last Saturday’s football fixture list was devastated by cancellations, with clubs pointing to the shortage of referees as the root of the crisis.

The entire FAW Central Reserve League programme – a total of five matches – was cancelled on Saturday along with the Central Wales Cup clash between Montgomery Town and Bishop’s Castle while only a handful of scheduled recreation level fixtures were contested as planned.

Club officials called on the Football Association of Wales (FAW) to recruit more referees.

Carno manager Gary Jones said: “This is a long term thing that’s been coming for a while as there is no recruitment process.

“Those players who play into their 30s need to be targeted as soon as they’re winding their career down. The money is good, abuse isn’t half what it used to be.”

However others felt the FAW should allow club’s to deploy their own linesmen at tier three - citing the summer restructure of the Welsh football pyramid behind the shortage.

The changes included the formation of four regionalised third divisions and a host of reserve leagues

Wayne Gornall of Penparcau Football Club said: “If short of officials why make tier three have three officials which costs clubs a lot of money?

“What is wrong with club linesmen? It will save clubs in the long run.”

Oli Morgan of Guilsfield Football Club added: “Don’t have three officials in tier four and spread the wealth.”

The County Times contacted the Football Association of Wales (FAW) for comment on Monday but had received no response at the time of going to press on Wednesday.