Wealdstone boss Gordon Bartlett was relieved his eyesight had not failed him after spotting Eastbourne Borough’s equaliser enter the goal via the side netting in Saturday’s 1-1 draw.

The Stones were left to feel hard done by after Richard Pacquette’s 90th-minute header appeared to creep into the bottom corner of Jonathan North’s goal via the side netting, rather than going between the posts.

Bartlett’s side had been on-course for three points after Matt Ball’s 11th-minute strike in Sussex.

Reflecting on the contentious equaliser against the Sports, Bartlett said: “We probably should have won that as well, with the goal going in through the side netting.

“So it was a frustrating one because we thought we had conceded but to know that it did not even go in either made it even more frustrating.

“From my own point of view, I thought it went wide on Saturday, but from 50 yards away I just put it down to being an old git and my eyesight had gone.

“I suppose one positive at least is my eyesight is all right,” chuckled Bartlett.

A slow-motion video of the incident has been posted on the club’s YouTube channel and appears to show the ball going wide of North’s right-hand post before ending up in the bottom corner of the goal.

The former Watford gloveman said: “It was a funny one because at the time I did not know how it had gone in because I thought I had my angles covered. It was was strange that no-one really appealed.

“From that angle [in the video] I think it’s quite hard for people on the far side of the goal to tell. After the game, Luke O’Nien and Wes Parker said they were not sure if it had gone in and Jefferson Louis came in and said it 100 per cent did not go in.

“The reaction from their players and fans is quite telling,” he added.

Wealdstone were beaten 2-1 by Conference South rivals Hayes & Yeading United in the Middlesex Senior Cup on Tuesday night.

Leading 1-0 via Jefferson Louis, the Stones ought to have doubled up when Nathan Mavila’s shot was tipped onto the bar and fell at the feet of the experienced Louis, who somehow contrived to plant the rebound wide from a matter of yards.

“That was the turning point, it ended up changing the game; Jeff and five minutes later, Shaun Lucien not picking up their scorer and there is the game,” rued Bartlett.

Goals from Rhys Murrell-Williams and Elliott Benyon sent Hayes through.

Wealdstone have signed former Reading midfielder Scott Davies this week. He could debut against Hayes in the league on Saturday.