MANAGER Roy Mason was not the only one to be left baffled by the contentious spot-kick that cost Steeton a place in the West Riding County Cup semi-final after losing 2-1 at Brighouse Town on Monday night.

The controversial decision by referee Jamie Waters to award the hosts a penalty after an apparent foul by Alistair Morgan on Alex King left players and spectators from both sides contemplating how he did not at the very least award a free-kick the other way.

In the aftermath, assistant manager Adam Smith and defender Max Fenton were cautioned, as well as goalkeeper Stuart Cross, in what seems to have been a case of mistaken identity.

An unmarked Morgan had earlier been the hero at the other end, latching onto Jack Lynn’s superb delivery to send a looping header over a back-pedalling Brett Souter, just minutes after Elliot Harrison had opened the scoring for the hosts with a low drive.

Brighouse, who ply their trade two leagues higher in the NPL East Division, were the clear favourites for this quarter-final tie and dominated possession from the off..

But an early injury to Javelle Clarke rocked the hosts, and it was instead the Chevrons who had the first opportunity of the match with 24 minutes on the clock.

After capitalising on some sloppy defending, Jahro Parchment found himself one-on-one with Souter, but uncharacteristically, could only find the advertising boards.

At the other end, King forced Cross into a smart stop before firing across goal after being allowed too much space down the wing.

Harrison broke the deadlock three minutes before the interval, when he weaved into the box from the right before firing under Cross from a tight angle at the near post.

Steeton battled back though, and equalised on the stroke of half-time.

Toby Jeffrey’s delivery was picked up by Lynn on the edge of the box, with the teenage full-back sending a pinpoint cross over for Morgan to loop a header into the top left corner.

A nasty challenge on Mo Farhan Subhani at the start of the second half left the Chevrons aggrieved, and that frustration intensified when the decisive penalty was awarded just minutes later.

Despite the challenge neither being inside the box or even seemingly being a foul on the attacking King, Waters awarded the penalty, with Shiraz Khan sending a Panenka straight down the middle of the goal.

Tom Robinson and Kayle Price blazed over the bar and shot wide respectively as Steeton looked to equalise, but it was Brighouse who held on to go through, even after being reduced to 10 men late on after Tom Haigh received a second yellow card.