‘The referee ruined a good cup tie’ – Horndean boss Birmingham reacts to FA Vase home defeat to Bexhill United

But manager Michael Birmingham was furious about two key penalty incidents in the first round tie at Five Heads Park.

One was a ‘stonewall’ spot-kick that the Deans weren’t given in the first half for a foul on Rudi Blankson.

The second was Bexhill’s 82nd minute leveller from Tom Vickers - ‘one of the softest penalties you’ll see’ rued Birmingham after the referee had ruled Ben Anderson had committed a foul.

In the last minute, Anderson inadvertently turned a Bexhill cross into his own net.

‘Ben was distraught,’ said Birmingham. ‘But he had done his job, he had tracked his runner.

‘The referee ruined a good cup tie. I understand the Respect campaign, and I know you need a ref to have a game, but it’s getting beyond a joke.

‘I wouldn’t be complaining if we were beaten by Bexhill, but we were beaten by the referee.

‘He said afterwards to send him the video and if he’s wrong he’ll apologise. That’s no good, we’re out of the Vase now. It wouldn’t have happened if he’d done his job the first time.

‘Jocko (Deans keeper Cameron Scott) has again only had one save to make, but he’s conceded two goals. Two mistakes from the referee and one Horndean mistake and we’re out of the cup.’

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A few minutes after Deans had their first half penalty appeals waved away, Blankson fired them into the lead.

Birmingham added: ‘We had enough chances in the first half to have won two games.

‘But our finishing, our final pass, final shot, final cross, didn’t match the build-up play.

‘We looked a little bit lacklustre, I don’t know if the boys had hyped the game up and burnt off some nervous energy.

‘But they’ve been magnificent this season. We didn’t have our usual energy, but that’s only the second time this season I’ve said that.’

There is good news on the injury front concerning striker Connor Duffin, meanwhile.

Last season’s leading Wessex League goalscorer recently suffered a knee injury that Birmingham said could rule him out for around eight weeks.

But the diagnosis now is that Duffin could be back ‘in 14-21 days’ - though obviously he will miss Tuesday’s mouthwatering Wessex Premier home clash with table-topping AFC Portchester.