Hythe Town manager Steve Watt felt referee was out of his depth in FA Cup draw at Raynes Park Vale

Steve Watt is hoping for a better refereeing performance when Hythe meet Raynes Park Vale in an FA Cup replay at Reachfields tonight.

Watt felt Saturday’s first meeting, which ended 2-2, got away from the young official, who showed three red cards.

Jack Steventon and Liam Smith were sent off for the visitors, while Vale’s Archie Harvard-Goddard was also dismissed.

“The referee was out of his depth,” said Watt.

“At one point he came over to the sideline to ask if he could sin-bin a player. The linesman had to tell him no.

“I thought it was a good game, between two good sides, spoiled by the man in the middle.

“You can’t even call it a big occasion but it was too much for him. It was a very bizarre game in the way it was officiated.

"The worst tackle in the game was where Ethan Smith was taken out hip-high when he was going through on goal and he didn’t even give a booking for that.

“Their player shouldn’t have been sent off, it was a good old-fashioned 50:50 and he got a second booking.

“Don’t get me wrong, I thought a draw was a fair result, I’m not saying the referee cost us, I don’t think he has.

“Jack should have been sent off for their penalty (which made it 2-2) where he’s already on a booking.

“He doesn’t book him there and then five minutes later Jack pulls out of a tackle and Jordan Gallagher dives over his leg, the ref knows he made a mistake earlier, so he sends him off when it should have been a second yellow card for Gallagher for diving.

“I actually thought it was a good game, they’re a good side.

“They’re a level below us but I said to the boys before the game, this won’t be a Step 4 v Step 5 game, this is an equal game. They’re more than good enough to be at our level.

“Both keepers made great saves, there