THE repercussions of FIFA's decision to dismiss goal-line technology reached as far as lowly Tiverton Town in the Southern League on Saturday.

Striker Joe Bushin was convinced his 23rd-minute header had crossed the line and opened the scoring before Merthyr Tydfil skipper Paul Keddle could hastily hack it away.

But the score remained 0-0 as both referee and the well-placed linesman refused to concur with the Yellows hitman.

Of course world football's governing body was never likely to suggest that clubs as low down the football pyramid as Tivvy should install cameras inside their goalposts.

But Yellows boss Martyn Rogers said the officials should not have needed a television replay to decide whether Bushin's effort had gone in or not.

"There was a lot of huff and puff from us but not enough quality to get a goal," Rogers said after his side's 1-0 defeat.

"Having said that I think we did score but it wasn't allowed. Mark Saunders and some of the other lads swear it went over the line.

"But that just summed up the linesman's performance. In the second half the play was three feet in front of him, right under his nose, but he still needed the referee to decide for him whether to award a goal kick or a corner."

It was the visitors who plundered the only goal of the game as the Martyrs ran out 1-0 winners to boost their survival hopes and leave the Yellows looking nervously over their shoulders again.

And to add to the hosts' frustrations it was their former player Andrew Thomas who got the decisive strike, rising above Mark Saunders to head Steve Williams' quickly-taken free-kick home from six yards.

It was something of a bolt from the blue, as until then the Welshmen had not shown any cutting edge.

But the portly Thomas clearly didn't care as he celebrated his strike with relish, before doing as much as anyone to keep the Yellows at bay for the remaining 62 minutes.

In a game high on commitment but desperately low on quality, chances were at a premium.

But Steve Book still had to be at his best in the early stages of the second half as the impressive Scott Armitage and Tareq Khalil forced him into action.

Tivvy showed plenty of fighting spirit themselves and what creativity they did have came from Colin Marshall.

With 16 minutes remaining, the Scot beat his man and played a neat one-two with Adam Mortimer before firing in a blistering effort which keeper Andrew Delve brilliantly saved.

Marshall was again the inspiration with four minutes to go, when he made some space for Nathan Rudge to stride forward and try his luck from 25 yards, only for his scuffed effort to fall at the feet of substitute Richard Pears.

He swivelled quickly and fired in a blistering shot from the edge of the area, only for it to fly into the grateful arms of Delve.

A foot either side of the keeper and Pears would have had his first goal since returning to Ladysmead, but it was not the Yellows' day.

Tiverton: Book, Groves, Alex Faux, Booth, Rudge, Gardner (Pears, 58), Hatch, Marshall, Bushin (Mortimer, 58), Saunders (Colliers, 85), Frear. Sub not used: Wannell. Booked: Booth

Merthyr: Delve, Williams, Keddle, Thomas, Rewbury, Hartshorn, Khalil, Clarke, Griffiths (Armitage, 57), Belle (Trotman, 77 (Gregory, 87)), Leek. Subs not used: Yannez, Driscoll. Booked: Clarke, Thomas

Match stats (Tiverton first): Shots on target — 6-8, shots off target — 2-4, free-kicks conceded — 12-19, corners — 6-4, offsides — 0-2

Referee: J McCaffery Attendance: 279