THE Adver Cup continues to descend into chaos, with one of the quarter-finalists threatening to take their case as far as the English Football Association.

Any such appeal would without doubt delay the final of the Swindon and District League's premier competition and see them lose their prized venue at the County Ground.

Custom Homes are furious after officials at the league demanded their last-eight clash with Allied Goodheart be replayed.

The original game ended 3-1 to Custom Homes, but the result was expunged after both sides had seemingly fielded ineligible players that had not competed in four league and Junior Cup games prior to the tie.

The club appealed against that decision and have since proved that the three 'ineligible' players in question were clear to play - albeit after the deadline they were given to produce documentation backing their case.

At a meeting on Monday night, league officials ordered that the tie be played again, leaving an aggrieved Custom Homes looking to take their case to the Wiltshire FA.

The club now have 14 days to lodge an official appeal to the Wilts FA and the resulting delay of the remaining Adver Cup fixtures means the final may be rearranged for a later date away from the County Ground.

Custom Homes manager Ken Scott was left flummoxed by the league's final decision.

He said: "I can't believe it. We met the league representatives on Monday night and they accepted that we didn't play any ineligible players.

"So how can they make us play the game again, and with the same players? It makes no sense.

"We were given until March 17 to clear two of our 'ineligible' players, during which time we discovered the other one was also okay to play in the original game.

"The league are saying that we took longer than 14 days to produce the evidence and I admit that our paperwork isn't the best, but it's like any club at this level.

"We are going to appeal to the Wilts FA and we will take this as far as the FA in Lancaster Gate if we have to.

"The last thing we want to do is prevent anyone from playing at the County Ground by holding up the final, but it's a matter of principle."

The Swindon and District League confirmed that Custom Homes had originally claimed two of the three players were eligible and they were given 14 days from March 3 to produce the relevant evidence.

During that time Custom Homes discovered that the other player had also fulfiled the minimum four game requirement - meaning all three were clear to play after all.

However, Custom Homes did not provide complete documentation until Monday's meeting a week after the March 17 deadline. So the league are adamant that the original game must be played again.

League Disciplinary Secretary Alan Jennings said: "It's a difficult situation but hopefully the appeal can come to a definitive solution.

"We don't want this to turn into an 'us and them' situation and we don't want to deny anyone the chance to play at the County Ground, but there must be time limits when it comes to providing evidence."

The first semi-final of the competition takes place on Saturday when Queenstown take on 147 Club.