DESPITE seeing his side come away from Badshot Lea with a 4-2 win in the Hellenic League Premier Division, Shrivenham co-boss Pete Horwat has launched a scathing attack on the match officials.

A TJ Bohane double, plus goals from Dave Glover and Steve Avenell gave Shrivvy all three points, but while Horwat, pictured right, was delighted with his side's showing, he was less than complimentary about the referee and his two assistants.

It was an impressive result for Shrivenham, who were missing eight players and travelled with only one substitute to the game, especailly considering they went 1-0 down after just three minutes.

Sent from the dugout during a fiery encounter, Horwat believes his players were offered no protection, and revealed: "The officials were diabolical at best.

"My nan could have done a better job, and she's been underground for 20 years.

"At 4-1 up one of their defenders scored an own goal as he headed in a free-kick from us. But the linesman flagged for offside and the referee sided with him. It was unbelievable.

"There were over-the-top challenges and elbows off the ball going on and they spotted none of it.

"I know sometimes we have to put our hands up at the way we conduct ourselves, but surely they've got to as well.

"But take nothing away from our players because we were superb and well worth the win.

"We were thread bare but played some great football, particularly in the first half."

Elsewhere, Highworth Town went down 2-0 at home to Witney, while Fairford Town were on the wrong end of a 3-2 scoreline away at high-flying Milton United.

  • IN DIVISION One West, Andy Philpott's strike midway through the second half was enough to give Purton a 1-0 win over local rivals Wootton Bassett.

Both sides missed penalties in a two-minute spell before the break, with Bassett's Steve Yeardley thwarted first by a fine save from Daniel Fry, and then Purton skipper Warren Fuller kept out by Sean Purcell.

Purcell turned from hero to villain just after the hour mark though. After collecting a backpass from right-back Luke Jones, he under-hit an attempted return pass, which Philpott pounced on and slotted into the empty net.

And it could have been two five minutes later as Fuller was set free by Marcus Hall, but Purcell was able to tip the ball wide.

Phil Tearle could have got Bassett at least a point late on when he twice beat the offside trap, but he spurned both one-on-one opportunities.

In other games, Ben Carter struck four times as Cricklade Town ran out 5-2 winners over bottom side Cirencester United, while Malmesbury Victoria went down 2-0 away at Letcombe.