Dandy Town’s appeal against the result of their 1-1 draw with PHC in October has been rejected by the Bermuda Football Association.

PHC equalised late in the game at Devonshire Rec after goalkeeper Quinaceo Hunt scored from a free kick inside his own half, but the goal should have been disallowed as no other player touched the ball and the free kick had been awarded for offside, from which play is supposed to restart with an indirect free kick.

Trinidadian referee Kwinsi Williams did not raise an arm in the air — the signal for an indirect free kick — and allowed the goal to stand.

Under Fifa rules, a match result can be overturned and replayed only in very specific and rare circumstances involving a “misapplication of the Laws of the Game” by a referee, not for a simple error in judgment.

Western Stars Sports Club, under whose auspices Dandy Town fall under, formally submitted their appeal in a letter addressed to the Bermuda Football Association’s Competition Committee on October 21.

“We received correspondence from the BFA stating that our appeal was denied based on Fifa regulations as it stands with those types of situations,” Scott Morton, the club’s football director, told The Royal Gazette.

“The only time that we could've done something would have been right there as soon as the situation happened, but not after the match has concluded.”

Morton said he and his fellow peers have accepted the BFA’s ruling and are focused on the remainder of the season.

“We have moved on from that so we are fine,” he said.

“We understand that these things happen in football and, based on everything else that we’ve got in place at the club in a good way, we are just focused on the direction that we’re moving and comfortable with the way that situation has played out. We’ve moved on from there and focused on everything going forward.”

Town have made considerable strides this season under new head coach Jarreau Hayward.

The Hornets lifted the Charity Cup with victory over Pembroke rivals North Village in the traditional season opener to get their campaign off on the front foot. They also top the Premier Division standings by a point at the halfway stage of the 2025-26 league campaign.

Commenting on the club’s progress to date, Morton said: “We are cautiously optimistic and the reason I say that is because of a lot of work we are putting in behind the scenes.

“We allow the coaching staff to take care of everything between the white lines and obviously some stuff outside the white lines. But we have a technical committee that's in place that handles all other football matters and guides all the football structures.

“It's a work in progress but we're loving the way that it's going and we’re comfortable with buy-in from the head coach Jarreau.

“It’s been pleasing to work with him this year. We've had some challenges but that's where you get growth from, in challenging moments. So we embrace that and are right in position to move the club going forward.”

Holders Town are back in action on New Year’s Day when they will face North Village in an intriguing Friendship Trophy final at Wellington Oval.

Hornets beat PHC 3-1 in the previous final at Somerset Cricket Club to lift the trophy for the first time in three seasons and fifth overall.

Guiding them to glory was former Zebras forward Kyle Lightbourne, who was replaced by his assistant Hayward after stepping down at the end of his first season in charge of the St John’s Road club.