MUMBAI: What was supposedly a minor issue got blown up before ultimately dying a natural death as the hours wound down. Thane were apparently struck off from the Maharashtra State Inter-District football tournament when they fielded four ineligible players in their 4-0 win over Dhule on Monday. The players, unaware that they were struck off, first protested on the ground on Tuesday. They then prevented Nagpur from playing Dhule and attacked a photographer from a website authorised by the MDFA to cover the event.The players' contention was that the organisers were being unfair to the Thane team because they were a strong team. The Thane players claimed that they attacked the photographer because he came too close while clicking photographs, pushed a player and later 'abused another player'. The photographer, Pushpak Shirwadkar from footballcounter.com, defended himself saying he did not abuse the girls and it was the other way around instead. "One of the players even kicked the camera," said Shirwadkar.The Azad Maidan police were soon at the Karnatak Sporting Association ground and summoned all and sundry to the station to resolve the issue. PSI Swapnil Chawan said all parties were spoken to and the case was resolved without any complaints being lodged. Fingers were pointed to the miscommunication from the Thane District football body secretary, Abdul Siddique. The players claimed that they were not informed about the team being scratched and thus were venting their anger. But Siddique had a different tale to narrate. "I was aware that there were few ineligible players but I wanted the team to play in the spirit of the game as the girls hardly get any opportunity. I was told by the organisers that the team is scratched from the tournament before the game and informed coach Thomas Castelino to exit the venue."But the organiser, U Banerjee , secretary of the MDFA, claimed he informed Siddique about his team being scratched at 3.30 pm and the official letter was handed over at 4.30 pm by the match commissioner.