Westbury United 2, Melksham Town 3 (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Westbury United 2, Melksham Town 3

WESTBURY United have hit out at referee Matthew Rushton after a series of bizarre decisions saw them crash out of the FA Cup preliminary round replay at Meadow Lane on Tuesday night.

United manager Paul Brickley and his players claim Mr Rushton admitted after the game he should not have let Melksham's second goal stand and they insist they should have had two penalties.

After Lee Beavis cancelled out Pete Ayton's brilliant volleyed opener, Melksham took a controversial lead on the half hour mark when Simon Price audaciously chipped goalkeeper Nick Evans from 50 yards, after seemingly fouling Steve Seals.

Westbury then spurned countless chances to draw level while Mr Rushton incurred their wrath again after waving play on when David Thompson was shoved in the penalty area by Leigh Burke.

Nick Ridout extended Melksham's lead with 20 minutes remaining with a header from Gavin Eyre's right wing corner but Paul Beavers headed a goal back minutes later to set up a thrilling finale.

Westbury threw everything at their higher league opponents, for the last five minutes playing five up front, but wasteful finishing and good keeping by Tom Drewitt meant it was Melksham looking forward to a lucrative tie against Southern League Supermarine.

Brickley said: "The referee came up to me after the game and admitted he should have brought play back for a foul on Seals just before Pricey's goal. We played well and deserved more."

Seals said: "A couple of bad refereeing decisions cost us.

"Even Pricey will admit he caught me as the referee has after, while we should have had two penalties."

Melksham Town boss Kelvin Highmore praised his side for battling through but agreed with Westbury some of the refereeing decisions were strange to say the least.

He said: "I don't think Pricey fouled Steve Seals but there was a lot of things not given by the ref. I think he was watching a different game to the rest of us."

l WAYNE Wheeler was the star at The Conigre on Tuesday after firing Westbury into a two-goal lead, his first strike a 35-yard volley.

Westbury looked to be cruising into the next round until debutant Lee Morgan was sent off for a professional foul on Dave Macey on the half hour mark.

Macey's resulting penalty kick was saved by Nick Evans but a second half own goal from Martin Little and an equaliser from substitute Nick Ridout forced the replay at Meadow Lane.