Oldham Athletic manager Micky Mellon was shown a straight red card for headbutting an opposition player during his team's FA Cup first-round tie against Sheffield Wednesday. The incident forced him to leave the touchline for the final few minutes and extra time of the match.
In what was Dave Challinor's first game in charge of the Owls, Oldham were looking to cause an upset against their League One opponents. They took the lead just after the hour mark thanks to Calum Kavanagh.
They were, however, pegged back in the 76th minute when David Kellior-Dunn scored for Wednesday. That goal took the game to extra time.
Tempers flare in closing stages
It was in the closing stages of normal time when tempers flared. Mellon appears to move his head towards Wednesday's Callum Slattery in a coming together between the two. The incident sparked chaos among the players from both sides. Once order was restored, the referee brandished a straight red card to the Oldham manager.
"It's all going off here, there's little one v ones as well," co-commentator Glenn Hoddle told TNT Sport. "Everyone is involved.
"I don't know what on earth the manager is thinking there, I really don't."
Oldham secure progression
With the scoreline deadlocked after 90 minutes, the tie headed straight into extra time. Remarkably, despite their manager's absence from the dugout, Oldham netted the winner to secure their progression to the second round.
The length of Mellon's ban has yet to be confirmed, with the FA potentially taking further action regarding the incident. Oldham will find out who they face in the second round when the draw is made on Monday evening.
The tie is scheduled to take place on the weekend of Saturday, 5 December. Among the potential opponents are Leicester City, who lifted the trophy five years ago and saw off Oxford City in the first round, or seventh-tier Wimborne Town, who caused an upset by defeating Crawley Town in their first-round fixture.
Mellon on the FA Cup
Speaking ahead of the tie, Mellon spoke of the opportunity that the FA Cup brings to make memories. "I love the FA Cup. I've had good moments in it and love when it comes around this time of the year," he said.
"If we can make some memories for the fans and for the players as well and their families, and ourselves, that's the thing that you try to attack.
"It's still a romantic competition that everybody still gets excited about."
