Bermuda Hogges strikers Shaki Crockwell and Clevon Hill will miss this Friday’s season-opener against Harrisburg City Islanders at the National Sports Centre (NSC) through suspension.

The players were among four sent off during Sunday’s FA Cup final between Devonshire Colts and Boulevard at the NSC, Hill for two bookable offences and Crockwell for retaliation.

Now, through an agreement made between Bermuda Football Association (BFA) and Hogges management, the two players will sit out Friday’s United Soccer League Division Two match because of automatic one-game bans.

“Our take on the whole situation is firstly we are upset that Hogges players were sent off, and I’m sure Shaki and Clevon would also be upset having been sent off,” said club co-owner Shaun Goater.

“But having said that we have made an agreement with the BFA. We agreed to follow suit with the BFA if any player was suspended at the end of the season.”

While it is highly unlikely that further action will be taken against Hill, the same cannot be said for Crockwell who could face harsher punishment for a nasty head butt on Colts’ captain Joseph Butterfield.

Under current procedure, the BFA will await the referee’s official match report before determining whether any additional disciplinary action is deemed necessary.

“Right now we await any feedback from the BFA. So we now await the player’s punishment, if you like,” Goater said.

He added that such behaviour would not be tolerated by Hogges’ management and he has already outlined tough sanctions that are to be imposed upon any player on the team who lands himself in hot water.

“The league (USL) will first penalise the individual and then we would add a fine to their suspension,” said Goater, who would like to see any further disciplinary action taken against his players handled swiftly by the BFA.

“I was at the game, but our take on the whole situation is that we are upset when any Hogges player gets sent off. But I think it would be unfair to comment on the incidents in that the two players were representing their club teams at the time.”

And while the absence of Hill and Crockwell could affect the Hogges in some way, former Manchester City striker Goater insisted his team had the necessary depth to overcome such challenges.

“The great thing about our team is that we have depth and so we feel that we are okay in that regard,” he added.

“That is why we have a large squad in that in the event of suspensions or injuries we are still able to put someone else in capable of doing the job.”