Park Avenue were dumped out of the FA Umbro Trophy at the first hurdle by UniBond Division One outfit Kendal Town in controversial circumstances at Parkside Road.

Avenue were incensed when they realised the referee for the tie was Preston official David Commins, who was in charge when they were knocked out of the FA Cup in an all- UniBond Premier clash at Marine last month.

On that occasion Avenue had a man sent off, and on Saturday the same referee awarded a free kick to Kendal four minutes into stoppage time as the home side snatched a dramatic victory with a thunderous direct strike as Kevin Barnes claimed a hat-trick.

Supporters criticised the official after the game and the Bradford club could find themselves in hot water if the referee includes a mention of an unseemly incident as he left the field in his report to the FA.

One Avenue official had to be restrained as the referee made his way back to the dressing room.

But Avenue have only themselves to blame because they were so far in command of the game in the first 20 minutes that it seemed more a case of how many Kendal would lose by.

Avenue dropped their guard, allowing Kendal to take a 2-0 lead, but they battled back and should still have been out of reach before the late winner.

From the start they opened up the home defence almost at will, but squandered several gilt-edged chan-ces. One culprit was utility man Micky Thompson, who was spearheading the attack.

He partnered Jason Maxwell, with Wael Nazha and Andy Hayward manning the supply lines from the flanks. Thompson responded by getting into goal-scoring positions, but the regular centre back's finishing was rusty and he paid the price.

After just ten minutes, Thompson was provided with his first opening by Maxwell, but shot over from just inside the area. Maxwell's first effort - a header from Hayward's 16th-minute corner - brought a fine save from the home keeper.

Thompson was then denied by the width of the post as he stabbed in a shot. The under-pressure keeper had dropped a cross from Andy Quinn and when the stand-in striker latched on to the loose ball to turn it goalwards it struck the upright.

Kendal then hit Avenue with a breakaway goal in the 26th minute. Barnes took a short pass from Lee Chambers and raced through to net his first with a shot from the edge of the area.

Maxwell's craft provided another opening, but though he spoonfed the chance to James Stansfield, he blazed a ten-yard shot well wide.

Kendal doubled their lead five minutes before the interval when Barnes tucked in a shot from a low Peter Smith cross.

But Avenue were back in the hunt before the break when Stansfield launched a long throw-in into the box. Maxwell headed it down and Hayward rammed it home.

The first half had given Thompson time to re-adjust to life up front and he netted Avenue's equaliser in the 66th minute, following great work by Hayward.

However, more chances went begging and Kendal nicked it deep into stoppage time.

Barnes stayed cool and sent the home fans into raptures and Kendal into the next round with a thundering shot that went through a forest of legs and into the corner of the net.