Confusion prevailed at the KSHA stadium on Monday with Madras Engineer Group and Centre forfeiting their Super Division match against Sports Authority of India with just two and a half minutes to go before the hooter.

MEG were leading 3-1 till the 51st minute. SAI then made 2-3 in the 52nd minute through Kalappa. Trouble broke out when SAI’s Vineeth Michael scored the equaliser in the 67th minute. MEG protested vehemently against the goal, with their players charging at the umpire Hardeep Singh and veteran Samson Fernandes punching him on the neck.

They then walked off the pitch and refused to return despite the umpires giving them almost three minutes’ time to do so.

KSHA’s technical committee, which met later in the day, decided to award the match to SAI. The committee also decided to serve a show cause notice to Samson, who will take no further part in the league.

It was Samson himself who gave MEG the lead in the third minute by latching on to a cross from Kesavan on the right flank.

SAI drew level in the seventh minute with Nilesh sounding the board with the first of the five penalty corners they earned.

MEG regained the lead in the 31st minute off a penalty stroke, awarded when an advancing Poovanna was brought down by SAI goalkeeper Tharun Thammanna. Shankar converted the stroke.

In the 48th minute, MEG increased their lead through Dinesh Tirkey’s solo effort. SAI played with renewed vigour with most of their attacks centred around Vineeth and Nilesh.

Their repeated raids saw them winning their fifth penalty corner in the 52nd minute which Kalappa converted to reduce the deficit. Fifteen minutes later Vineeth scored SAI’s equaliser, triggering MEG’s protest.

Earlier in the day, Army Green XI edged ASC 2-1. S P Tirkey (18th) and Jerome Kujur (33rd) scored Army Green while Sanjay Tete (41st) reduced the margin for ASC.