Oxford City boss Mike Ford slammed the performance of referee Guy Stretton during his side’s 2-1 defeat to Boston United in Skrill North on Saturday, writes MATTHEW BRUCE.

City appeared to be in control with a 1-0 lead until the award of a controversial penalty for a foul by Lee Henderson on Ricky Miller.

It was one of a host of decisions which left Ford fuming.

He said: “As a manager you sometimes say that we could have got something, but today we should have got something.

“We’ve been robbed by the referee. The game was too big for him today. He needs to go back to Sunday mornings and if he copes with that then maybe he can come back to this level.

“He was affected by the crowd, he gave every decision to them and that penalty was never a penalty in a good old-fashioned month of Sundays.

“Lee Henderson made the tackle and he is absolutely 100 per cent adamant that he played the football.

“I don’t mind my team losing, but when that result has been given to the other team by a weak, inadequate referee then that really does hurt because my lads were superb today.”

OXFORD City have signed midfielder Darren Mullings from Skrill North relegation rivals Gloucester City.

The 27-year-old began his career with Bristol Rovers, before moving on to Torquay United.