A SOUTH ZEAL football team has lost its appeal to overturn a match result which was decided on a fluke goal in the dying seconds of a game.

The away match, which ended the team's hopes of getting to the semi-final of the Devon Intermediate Cup, was won 1-0 by Westexe Rovers when the ball hit some overhanging tree branches and dropped down into the goal following a corner.

South Zeal team manager Roger Halliday said the men were so incensed when the referee gave the goal straight away that they felt compelled to write a letter of appeal.

'We felt it was an incorrect decision but the FA have stood by their referee,' said Mr Halliday. 'It was really down to the referee or the team to do something about it at the time but now it is too late. I think if the boot was on the other foot our team would not have accepted the result.'

The manager said it was a terrible way to go out of a competition, especially when the team was doing so well — they had only lost one league game all year — but now they had to put it behind them.

'One or two players are still not happy about it but the FA decision stands so there is nothing we can do,' added Mr Halliday. 'We are not going to take it any further — when we play Westexe Rovers in the league and beat them fair and square we will have our revenge!'