Prospect United have gone on the counter-attack!

The First Division outfit have lodged an official appeal over a recent Bermuda Football Association (BFA) ruling to re-award rivals Paget maximum points from an October 3 league clash ? despite Lions having fielded an ineligible player.

Only last week local football?s governing body disclosed that Paget?s initial 2-1 win over United would be allowed to stand as an appeals committee was of the opinion the referee had a ?duty to inspect? players? registration cards prior to kick-off.

However, Prospect coach Earl Basden immediately hit back, querying: ?How can the same player enter onto the field of play on three separate occasions and only be penalised on two of those three occasions??

Basden was alluding to Lions? player Jerome Knights who was found to have participated in three matches (two in the league and one in the FA Cup) with an outdated player?s registration card.

Paget were subsequently booted out of the FA Cup and stripped of match points from a November 7 league clash with Hamilton Parish. But Lions were re-awarded three points for the October 3 triumph over Prospect.

Basden confirmed yesterday his club were now seeking additional ?clarification? over the association?s ruling.

?We have filed some documentation (to the association) requesting some clarification and are hoping to meet with the appeals committee to try to get the matter resolved,? he explained.

?We don?t want this matter to drag on and we feel it needs closure. Rules are rules . . . and the rules have been broken. But we intend to leave it all up to the appeals committee to decide after hearing both sides of the story.?

In 2003 Prospect advanced to the FA Cup final after a BFA appeals committee upheld an initial ruling to oust Devonshire Cougars from the competition for fielding an ineligible player in the semi-final against the First Division outfit. Cougars had won the match 5-2.

Cougars? midfielder Kori Goddard featured in his team?s convincing win instead of serving out an automatic one-game suspension after accumulating three yellow cards.

Prospect were then hammered 5-1 by North Village in the final at the National Sports Centre.

The men in uniform currently find themselves in the hunt for promotion, although some nine points adrift of the leaders.

United have a crunch match tomorrow against second-placed Devonshire Colts at Police Field ? a match Basden described as ?crucial?.

?Sunday?s match is a big one for us and our first since the Champions Cup,? he noted. ?So we?re hoping to get things back on track and enjoy a successful second half to the season.?

Prospect recently pocketed $1,000 in Champions Cup earnings after making it to the inaugural competition?s semi-final stage.

United missed out on appearing in the final after suffering a 1-0 loss to Basden?s former club, St.George?s, under the lights at the Den on December 30.