REFEREE Stephen Graham has apologised for making a mistake in Salisbury's 2-1 home defeat to North Leigh on Saturday.

The Totton-based referee, who was at the centre of criticism from Whites' fans, emailed the club in reference to the foul on Justin Bennett he dismissed which led to the visitors' equaliser. George Seacole scored the goal on 71 minutes.

Graham acknowledges that a free kick should have been awarded and he shouldn’t have missed "such a blatant foul".

Seacole went on to score a winner eight minutes later to halt Whites' six-match winning run in the league.

Boss Steve Claridge has since responded to the apology.

He said: “I think it’s good of him to admit he got it wrong and we appreciate the apology, but it doesn’t change the fact that it's not the first time he has refereed a game in which he has made a poor decision, and the result of that has cost us."