BT Sport backlash as play-off match coverage ends before full-time

BT Sport subscribers were left furious at the climax of the National League play-off semi-final between Chesterfield and Bromley. The feed abruptly cut out before the end of a five-goal thriller to show the build-up to Manchester United’s Premier League clash with West Ham United.

Chesterfield edged Bromley in a classic after Liam Mandeville’s extra-time strike sealed a 3-2 win to book a final date against Notts County.

But as viewers watched the nervy closing stages at the Technique Stadium, coverage cut out in the 121st minute to go to an ad break. After a few adverts, coverage resumed… but from the cameras at the London Stadium ahead of West Ham vs Man United.

Chesterfield held on to move one step away from a return to the Football League, but viewers were unsurprisingly livid with the blunder.

BT Sport’s Twitter account was bombarded with complaints in the aftermath to mark a sticky end to an exhilarating day of National League action.

@CosmoCrumb sarcastically joked: “Cheers, I’ve always wanted to know what leaving a game early feels like.” While @codeprint wrote: “Ohhhhh this is what happened…..what were you thinking switching it to another channel?”

@attendant1867 added: “Thanks for showing us the end, though I did enjoy the adverts and watching Man Utd players warming up. What a joke.”

@lee79reef tweeted: “What a joke of a channel and how disrespectful…. There is life outside the Premier League….. I’m not a Bromley or Chesterfield fan, but to cut a game for adverts and a pre-match build-up [face palm emoji].”

@ThatOldishMan ranted: “The disrespect to the National League. Chesterfield and Bromley is breathtaking. Cutting coverage with a minute to go without warning on such an important game, so @rioferdy5 et al. can waffle before KO is simply unbelievable!!!!”