Prospect United yesterday discovered the hard way just ?How the Grinch stole Christmas?.

The First Division outfit are now crying foul following Bermuda Football Association?s (BFA) latest decision to re-award Paget maximum points for an October 3 league clash in which Lions fielded an ineligible player against the men in uniform.

A BFA appeals committee have now ruled in Lions favour ? that of allowing the original result to stand ? and have instead laid the blame with the referee for failure to detect that the registration card of Jerome Knights had in fact expired prior to the October 3 league clash at White Hill Field.

?The appeals committee is of the opinion that the referee had a duty to inspect the cards and detect the expired date based on the fact that such practice was always a part of the referee?s duties prior to matches,? stated BFA general secretary David Sabir in a written press statement.

However, the association?s appeals committee upheld the executive committee?s previous ruling to strip Paget of three points earned in a November 7 league win over Hamilton Parish and to boot Lions out of the FA Cup.

But it is the former ruling to re-award Paget three points despite fielding an ineligible player that has left Prospect ? who have yet to be officially notified by the BFA ? up in arms.

?We need to get clarification from the appeals committee as to just how can the same player (Knights) enter on to the field of play on three separate occasions and only be penalised on two of those three occasions,? argued Prospect coach Earl Basden yesterday.

?Someone is going to have to explain to us how you can break the rules three times and only be penalised twice. That will be our question when we have the chance to discuss the matter further with the appeals committee because I?m really a bit confused.

?We intend to follow all of the guidelines that have been put in place by the association and will try to schedule a meeting with the appeals or executive committees in order for them to hear our side of the story as opposed to allowing things just to stand as they are.?

Prior to the appeals committee?s latest ruling, Prospect remained second in the First Division standings but have now slipped back to fourth while Lions climbed from eighth to sixth.

This latest ruling, said Basden, has now slightly dented his team?s promotion hopes.

?We are still on 16 points until we are notified (by BFA) otherwise,? he insisted. ?But I don?t want to step outside of the boundaries without first having a proper discussion with our executives on how to address the matter.?

Meanwhile, when contacted yesterday Paget coach Brian (Bulla) Anderson, stated: ?I think this decision will help us a bit . . . it certainly doesn?t hurt us.

?It was an honest mistake and we have now decided to just leave it at that and get on with our season.?

Only four points now separate Paget from third placed St.George?s while, mathematically, Lions can still mount a challenge for promotion.