Somerset Trojans were "advised" by the referee that their player Richard Scott was not eligible to play before the start of last month's ill-fated FA Cup preliminary round clash against Key West Rangers at Somerset Cricket Club.

Bermuda Referee Association (BRA) president Anthony Francis revealed yesterday that he personally informed Trojans manager Brian Iris before the start of the match that his team risked having sanctions imposed against them if Scott played without a mandatory player's registration card.

Trojans won the cup encounter 2-0 but were subsequently dumped out of the prestigious competition after a Bermuda Football Association (BFA) probe determined that the West Enders failed to comply with "standard match-day procedures" as it relates to player registration prior to the start of matches.

As of yesterday, it remained unclear whether or not Somerset officials would file an appeal against the BFA's ruling while the association have yet to comment publicly on the matter which insiders confirmed last week to have been resolved during an executive meeting.

Last week Trojans coach Dennis Brown pointed the finger at referee and BRA chief Francis for granting Scott permission to play in the first instance. But Francis hit back yesterday, claiming: "I never provided anybody permission to play. It is not the referee's authority to grant or not grant permission for anyone to play in any football match.

"As it has always stood in every football game the onus is on the clubs themselves to provide a team sheet and player registration cards to the referee to be checked at least a half an hour before the start of the game. I consulted with them (Trojans) to advise them that their player (Scott) did not have his card and their response was that the card is coming. I actually sent one of my assistants to get their manager (Iris) to come to me so that I could advise him the player (Scott) did not have a card."

It is now understood that Trojans had promised to produce Scott's card by the end of the match but were unable to do so.

Somerset Cricket Club president Scott transfered from Trojans to Commercial outfit Somerset Extros at the end of last season and attempts made prior to kick-off of the November 18 FA Cup clash to obtain his registration card from Extros coach and former referee Joe Pimental proved futile. Francis added: "I am not taking it upon myself in any football match to tell teams — who know what the procedures are — that if you do not present a card the player is not eligible to play. I'm not going to tell them that a player cannot play but instead advise them that the player does not have a card and therefore cannot play.

"The onus was on the club whose manager (Iris) was advised his player did not have a card to play. Any team that fields an ineligible player are wary of the risks because everything must be noted in the referee's report.

"This whole matter is very unfortunate and unusual from a referee's standpoint, but it was nothing I could do apart from report things as they happened."

When contacted yesterday, Somerset chairman Josef Gooden, commented: "I don't know what the referee's report states, but it is my understanding that he (Francis) did give us the okay to play."