BELEAGUERED Bartestree boss Chris Hayes insists referees are becoming “unapproachable” after seeing his side reduced to just seven players in a bizarre 7-1 defeat at AFC Ludlow in the semi-final of the West Midlands (Regional) League Division 1 Cup.

Referee Ritchie Massey sent off Bartestree's Darren Andrews and Mark Langford in the first half, and Mark Hibbard and Dean Corbett in the second as an eagerly awaited encounter turned into a farcical mismatch.

“I am disgusted by the decisions, and the inconsistency, of some referees and it seems to me they are becoming more and more unapproachable,” fumed Hayes. “If you can’t question decisions made by referees, then what is the point. Their level of performance is becoming embarrassing and you just can’t talk to them, even though they constantly talk down to players.

“A few weeks ago this same referee sent off one of our players who had actually been head-butted and we have made out feelings known.”

Bartestree went into the game without the banned Tom Watkins and the suspended Dale Lewis and Mark Avery. Hayes added: “It wasn’t a nasty game but we seem to have acquired a reputation we can’t shake off and we are being to made look bad game after game. We have had a lot of red cards this season but most of them were for players not involved in this match. Mark Hibbard is an ex-professional player and he has never been in this sort of situation before. It was a massive match and we are gutted at how things turned out.”

Former Hereford United man Hibbard had bagged a first-half equaliser but was dismissed early in the second half, despite denying swearing at the match official. Andrews went for kicking out on 21 minutes, Langford for two yellows, a soft one followed by a late tackle on 31, and Corbett was at least partly culpable with some crude challenges before his dismissal at 4-1 on 64 minutes. Ludlow rubbed salt into Bartestree’s wounds with three more goals in the last 10 minutes and now meet Team Dudley in the final.

Bromyard Town wrapped up the Division 1 league title after thrashing Worcester Raiders 6-2.

Town were in the Premier Division last season and will renew acquaintances with county rivals Pegasus Juniors and Wellington.