Livi coach Allan Preston said today that York City boss Chris Brass wanted to have Thursday’s friendly abandoned midway through the second half after some tough tackling and a fight that ended up with a Livi player needing stitches. 
The Bootham Crescent clash - which the Lions won 3-2 - descended into a farce in the second half with the Lions’ Scott McLaughlin joining City’s Jon Parkin in being red-carded for their part in a brawl involving several players from both sides.
Referee Carl Bassingdale stunned both teams with his decisions and the whistler seemed to have lost control when McLaughlin kicked out after receiving some rough treatment from opponent Stephen Downes. After the ensuing melee, the teenager required two stitches in a head wound and is now suspended for the first game of the SPL season at Partick Thistle on August 9.
Both management teams were enraged and frustrated by the referee’s handling of events, as Preston revealed. He said: "The York City staff were so embarrassed by what was happening that Chris Brass wanted to have the game cancelled there and then. "Scott is a young boy - he was tackled then there was a bit of afters and he was punched in the ribs.
"Then it all kicked off and he was punched leaving him with a cut above the eye which required two stitches. "The referee judged that he should go but he’s also sent off the wrong York player for the punch.
"I wanted to speak to the referee but I was told I’d have to wait until 45 minutes after the game. By that time he had already left the ground. "We’ll need to wait and see what he puts in his match report but it looks like Scott’s facing a ban which is very disappointing."