BASHLEY were denied victory over Ryman One basement boys Ashford Town as a tear in the net denied them a legitimate goal and left them wondering how they didn't secure the 'hole' three points following their 1-1 draw on Saturday (September 11).

Ashford keeper John Whitehouse got his hand to Andy Culliford's 83rd-minute strike but the ball appeared to squeeze inside the far post and go through the mysterious hole in the netting.

The reactions of both sets of players suggested Culliford had plundered the winner but the referee pointed for a corner, despite the protestations of the hosts.

It was tough on Bash who, while not in full flight, had done enough to earn the win that would have seen them reach the dizzy heights of fourth. But it was not only the disallowing of the 'goal' that got Bash manager Geoff Butler annoyed with the official.

"The ref was a major contributor to their goal too," raged Butler. "He got in the way of a pass and they went down the other end and won a penalty.

"They were both penalties, but he gave them a bit of help in the lead up to theirs, and then Andy had a perfectly good goal disallowed. The keeper went down but Andy's shot squeezed inside the post and through a hole in the net."

In a fairly forgettable first period, Culliford and Danny Gibbons went closest for the home side but a half-time dressing down saw Bash come out with renewed vigour.

Gibbons and Mamadousa Toure came within inches of putting them in front within minutes of the restart but the visitors stunned the home faithful by going in front through Joby Thorogood's penalty.

The ever-lively Richard Gillespie twice came close before Dave Wakefield levelled affairs, also from the spot, after Toure was pushed in the box.

After the equaliser, an almighty melee somehow failed to hand Bash the lead as the ball squirted along the line but was somehow hooked away.

And then came the goal that never was, leaving Butler scratching his head as to how his side had not finished up with maximum points.

Bashley: Elm, Gazzard, Ferrett, Julius, Jones, Culliford, Gee, Toure, Gibbons, Gillespie, Wakefield. Unused subs: Clements, Harper, Totczyk, Langrish.