LYMINGTON and New Milton goalkeeper Mark Watson was left incredulous at referee Steve Cooke's decision to allow Bury Town's extra-time winner as Linnets crashed out of the FA Vase.

Blues skipper Andy Eady claimed a 116th-minute decider after a titanic struggle in Suffolk but Watson was fuming after being floored by a Bury man in the melee leading to the goal.

Ian Miller's innocuous looking header back towards goal was touched home by Eady but the Linnets keeper insists he had little chance of blocking the effort having been face down in the Ram Meadow mud courtesy of a push.

"Their centre forward came from behind me and elbowed me down into the mud," said the former Aldershot shot-stopper.

"Players and fans both said the referee had his whistle in his mouth, looked for some assistance from his assistants but saw nothing and gave the goal.

"I've been in football a long time and it has to be one of the biggest refereeing howlers I've seen.

"It's not just about me though, it's disappointing for all the players, management and club as a whole to go out like that."

Watson proved a central figure in the two-hour drama as he was also adjudged to have felled former Birmingham striker Steve McGavin for a first-half penalty and also produced a sensational double save in the second half to force the extra half hour.

He added: "McGavin was going down before I touched him for the penalty and fair play to him, he used all his experience and played for it.

"The referee was on the blindside and again got no help from the linesmen but I didn't touch him.

"With the way we played, I thought a draw would have been a fair result. We kept a better shape, had more ideas and just shaded it.

"And when I made that double save, you think 'Well, is it our day?' but it wasn't to be"