Arbroath's record win safe despite Ecuadorian side's 44-1 victory

Pelileo Sporting Club's victory was watched by just 200 supporters

Arbroath FC's world record 36-0 win is safe despite an Ecuadorian third division team recording a 44-1 victory.

Pelileo Sporting Club beat Indi Native in front of just 200 supporters, with striker Ronny Medina scoring 18 goals.

But it will not be ratified as a Guinness World Record as it did not occur at a high enough sporting level.

Arbroath FC chairman John Christison said he was "absolutely delighted" his team's record 1885 defeat of Bon Accord still stood.

Mr Christison told BBC Scotland: "Obviously it's a record we're very proud of.

"Our thanks to Guinness for clearing that up, that's tremendous news.

"We would probably have had to rebrand a lot of our stuff because it has 'world record holders' on it.

A Guinness World Record spokeswoman said that while Pelileo's result was "an amazing achievement", it would not be ratified.

The spokeswoman said: "For records directly involving performance in sports, we must only accept those which occur at a top-level professional, international, or pre-eminent amateur (i.e. Olympics).

"So unfortunately we won't be able to ratify the result as a Guinness World Record."

The official Guinness World Record reads: "The highest score recorded in a first-class football match is 36.

"This first occurred in the Scottish Cup match between Arbroath and Bon Accord when Arbroath won 36-0 on their home ground in Arbroath, Scotland, UK on 12 September 1885."

The score was equalled in an Estonian Cup match between Infonet FC and Virtsu Jalgpalliklubi on 13 June, 2015.

On the same day as Arbroath's win, Dundee Harp beat Aberdeen Rovers 35-0.

Although the referee recorded 37 goals, Dundee Harp's secretary said he had only noted 35, which the match official ultimately accepted.

Unexpected defeat

English football journalist Tim Vickery, who has lived in Brazil for more than 20 years, said: "Bon Accord have never been so discussed in the Ecuadorian press as they have been over the last few days.

"Certainly the Ecuadorian press are claiming it as a world record but Indi Native would rather keep quiet about the whole thing."

Indi Native president Diego Culequi said the result was unexpected and the players being unaccustomed to the hot weather may have contributed to the heavy defeat.

Mr Vickery said the level of football in the Ecuador Third Division was "not entirely a joke."

He said: "There's a side that have just qualified for the last four of South America's equivalent of the Champions League and nine years ago they won the Ecuadorian Third Division.

"I don't know if Pelileo will have the same dramatic rise."