DARREN Perrin blasted referee Lee Dudman as Melksham Town made a controversial exit from the FA Vase at Bodmin Town in a 3-1 defeat.

Melksham looked on course to head into half-time in front in Cornwall when they were awarded a penalty just before the break.

However, after consulting with an assistant, referee Dudman reversed his decision, much to the dismay of Melksham chief Perrin.

The incident clearly affected Melksham after the break and they fell 3-0 in arrears before Will Thomson netted a late consolation.

A fuming Perrin said: "Again we are talking about referees instead of talking about how good the game was or how good our performance was.

"I’m getting fed up of it and some of these referees are out of their depth. It was unbelievable, a scandalous piece of officiating.

"I’ve never seen or heard of anything like it happening before, it was unprecedented.

"The referee gave us a penalty right on half-time for a foul on Dan Kovacs, which forced him to go off on a stretcher. While Dan was down the Bodmin players surrounded the linesman and made him speak to the referee and then the linesman said he thinks he saw a Bodmin player get the ball before he got Dan.

"Then the referee unbelievably said we will have a drop ball as he now isn’t sure it is a penalty.

"No one knows what could have happened if we’d had the penalty and scored it. It would have been a completely different game.

"They were starting to get frustrated where they usually have it all their own way but not having that penalty felt like conceding.

"But in the second half I can’t have any complaints at the result as they were the better side and deserved to win the game.

"We wish them well and hope they have a good run as they hospitality they showed us was first class."

Kovacs is now a doubt for Melksham's Toolstation Premier Division home fixtures against Buckland Athletic on Saturday and Cadbury Heath on Monday.

Perrin added: "At the time we were concerned he had broken his leg but he's having a scan today (Monday) and now we don't think it's that.

"Hopefully it is just an impact injury but he is still a major doubt."