TRAFFORD were robbed of at least a point on Saturday when Tom Schofield’s 63rd-minute ‘equaliser’ at Brighouse Town was incredibly ruled out when the ball escaped through a hole in the netting and referee Daniel Guest awarded a goal-kick.

The hosts won 2-1 after the controversial incident that involved Brighouse goalkeeper Jordan Porter persuading referee the ball had gone through the side-netting.

In reality, Tom Baker’s side should not have been in a position of chasing the game as they had been almost completely on top in the first half with Jordan Johnson missing a penalty after just four minutes following a foul on Darius Palma.

Palma then curled a drive just past the upright, Schofield rifled over from 20 yards and centre-back Sam Baird somehow failed to convert from a yard following a free kick from the right.

Two minutes before half time the hosts almost snatched the lead when Trafford left-back Joel Amado carelessly gave the ball away and Joe Jagger broke clear but thankfully screwed his shot wide with just Matty Cooper to beat.

The second half started disastrously for the visitors as Brighouse took the lead, Luke Rawson cutting in from the left and crossing for Joe Jagger to head home from six yards.

Cooper then blocked a Shiraz Khan effort at the near post before Trafford debutant Lewis Walters finished off a slick move by firing into the side-netting.

In the 57th minute Brighouse danger man Khan made it 2-0 when he struck a superb first-time shot from 20 yards into the far corner and Trafford manager Baker responded by introducing substitute Sam Grimshaw to the fray.

Within minutes Grimshaw set off on a scintillating run down the left and when he was tripped by a desperate home defender, Palma coolly stepped forward to fire the resulting penalty past Porter.

Just 60 seconds later, Grimshaw surged forward once more and crossed for Tom Schofield to fire home from six yards and celebrate a magnificent comeback.

However, the game then descended into farce as Porter had the referee believing the ball had gone through the side-netting when in fact it had gone through a hole in the back of the Brighouse goal.

The telling factor was that Schofield jubilantly celebrated the ‘goal’, whereas if he had missed from such close range he would have held his head in shame.

After a lengthy delay the game continued with Cooper pushing a low drive by Reece Ellington past the post and Amado heading a corner just wide.

Further controversy ensued with the sending off of Brighouse substitute Jack Lazenby for a second yellow card and an unsavoury melee that involved all 22 players and the management teams of both clubs.

Ten minutes of stoppage time were added but Trafford could not force an equaliser with a cracking drive by Curtis Miller and an equally fine save by Porter being the only chance of note.

Trafford remain in seventh in the BetVictor North West Division and will be looking to get back to winning ways on Saturday when they entertain Pickering Town at the Home Estates Shawe View Stadium, kick off 3pm.