Bermuda Football Association president Mark Wade has moved quickly to defuse a storm on social media that the controversial Premier Division match on Wednesday night between Robin Hood and title chasers PHC might have been fixed.

The BFA was called into action after Steven Simons, the Robin Hood FC vice-president, posted on Twitter that he is “convinced” of corruption after referee Tashun Simons blew for a goalkeeper infringement of the six-second rule in the final stages at Goose Gosling Field, leading to PHC securing a 3-2 win that keeps them within touching distance of leaders Dandy Town.

PHC and Town have a potentially title-deciding date on April 10.

The Simonses got into a heated exchange post-match — all of which has been subsequently deleted from the social-media platform — with the Hood executive calling the referee a jackass and the Fifa-listed official responding by questioning his accuser’s manhood.

Minutes after Enrique Russell’s tap-in into an empty net, as Hood were setting up a defensive wall, to confirm the destination of the points, Steven Simons posted from his @BDA_Chosen_1 account: “After tonight … I am convinced. The @BermudaFA has the fix in. They making this league a title race by any means necessary. 100% … and they got the perfect lil jackass in @tds_FIFA18 to make it happen [clown emoji]”.

Tashun Simons responded: “The fact that you came on Twitter for clout and know my handle is crazy, you must have the vagina in your marriage... Don't say anything on Twitter if you can't/won't say it to my face, off my TL.”

The referee’s tweet was deleted first, but not before the Hood man came with a second attack that read: “Ya funny bro … talk about clout but you have FIFA in ya Twitter handle and tattooed on your leg and ain’t even FIFA rated anymore. Wonder why … f***ing blank. And don’t act all bad on here because you know this very same sh*t was said to you as you walked off the field.”

After the BFA intervened on Thursday, the Hood executive’s posts were taken down. Steven Simons explained that he lost his cool in the “heat of the moment” and the club followed with a formal apology.

“My tweet was by no means insinuating corruption within the BFA,” Steven Simons said. “It was posted in the heat of the moment after a very disappointing end to what was a great game of football between two teams.”

Alex Belvedere, the Hood president, added: “The comment was made in the heat of the moment by an executive of Robin Hood Football Club, for which he also regrets and we, as a club, wish to emphasise that under no circumstances that the comment made was meant to undermine the Bermuda Football Association or the appointed match officials.

“We do not relish the thought that this comment would overshadow the progress that has been made within the local game by the governing association, which continues to promote the game of football for the benefit of the Bermuda community as a whole. Therefore, Robin Hood Football Club and its executive sincerely apologise to the Bermuda Football Association, president Mr Mark Wade, the Executive Council and fellow members for any negativity this may have caused.”

While appreciating the remedial actions taken by Robin Hood and backing the integrity of match officials, Wade reinforced in a statement that the BFA has a zero-tolerance policy on corruption in football.

“We appreciate that after consideration the statement has been recognised as abhorrent and has no basis in fact and has since which been deleted,” he said in response to questions posed by The Royal Gazette. “The mere suggestion of any form of corruption stands against the values of the BFA, which has historically stood against all forms of corruption in our region and globally.

“We fully support our match officials as they go about officiating their games without fear or favour. If anyone has evidence to suggest otherwise, then they are encouraged to bring such evidence to the BFA, as we have a zero-tolerance policy regarding unethical behaviour or corruption in football.”

The BFA did not address questions posed concerning potential disciplinary action for any of the involved parties.