A notorious tree branch that extends onto the football pitch near the western goal at Bernard Park has again been thrust into the centre of controversy.

The problematic tree was the topic of much discussion earlier this season when Somerset Eagles players and team officials complained about Social Club having gained an ?unfair advantage? as a result of a protruding branch.

Social Club won the match 6-2.

But according to Eagles coach Marc Bean, the entire complexion of the match changed just before the half when a Bluebirds corner kick rebounded off the branch and fell to the feet of an opposing striker who graciously stroked the ball home while Eagles players stood bemused.

?The ball went up in the trees on the western end of the ground and just hung up there for maybe four or five seconds,? Bean recalled yesterday.

?My players stood still and when the ball dropped the striker just kicked it in the net.

?I think it?s about time Bermuda Football Association got North Village to chop the branch down because things like this should not be happening in Bermuda football.?

On Sunday the same branch was again in the thick of the action in the First Division Shield encounter between St.George?s and Prospect.

During the second half a Prospect corner kick struck the tree and rebounded across the touch-line amid Prospect pleas for a drop ball or retaken corner.

Referee George O?Brien awarded a goal kick.

When contacted yesterday, BFA senior executive Gregory Grimes said a drop ball should have been awarded ? but only if the corner kick was actually in bounds when it struck the branch.

?If the ball went out of play and then came back in, then a goal kick should have been awarded,? he said. ?But if that didn?t happen and the ball hit the tree, then it should have been a drop ball. It should have been a drop ball because that is looked upon as an outside agent.

?Obviously if the referee reports it, as he should, then we will have to look into it. But in any case now that we have been notified we will look into the matter and work along with the field operators to rectify the problem.?

In accordance with FIFA?s laws ?a dropped ball is a way of restarting the match after a temporary stoppage that becomes necessary while the ball is in play.?

Meanwhile, North Village Community Club president Shervin Dill confirmed yesterday the matter had been dealt with after the first incident occurred during the First Division league match involving Eagles and Social Club on October 30.

?I had been addressed about the situation and my groundsman had been instructed to cut it down just after the season had started,? said Dill. ?But now it seems to have grown back.?

Dill added that part of the problem stemmed from the fact that Government own the property directly behind the western end of the ground ? property that has been set aside as a nature reserve.

?We can?t just go in there and cut down those trees because we could get ourselves in trouble with Government. It?s a nature reserve and there are also some cedar trees in there as well,? he added.

?But I guess we will get our groundstaff to cut any branches that are overhanging onto our property. I will address the matter again with my groundsman this week.?