Somerset Trojans lost their bid to be reinstated into the FA Cup competition after a Bermuda Football Association (BFA) appeals committee, headed up by former president Dr.Gerard Bean, rejected the Premier Division club's appeal last night at BFA headquarters.

Trojans had been dumped out of the premier competition for fielding an ineligible player, club president Richard Scott, in last November's FA Cup preliminary round clash with Commercial rivals Key West Rangers at Somerset Cricket Club.

Scott contravened a BFA ruling that stipulates no player shall be allowed to play in a match without producing an official player's registration card to the referee - in this case Bermuda Referees Association (BRA) president Anthony Francis.

When contacted today, a Somerset source told The Royal Gazette: "This is unreal. . . . but life goes on."

* Read more in tomorrow's Royal Gazette.