WINSFORD United have been dealt another body blow in their relegation fight as they are set to have another three points deducted by the UniBond League.

The club is set to lose the points they won at Farsley Celtic, just as they did when they fielded three unregistered players against Harrogate Town on the opening day of the season.

On that occasion Winsford accepted they had made an error, but this time they will be appealing to the Football Association over what they claim is a harsh decision.

It concerns the registration of Jonathan Edwards, a player who was promoted from the under-18s to the senior side for the trip to Farsley on March 10.

The original form which was faxed to the league with the player's registration details contained an error which wasn't corrected by the time he made his first appearance. Hence, he was unregistered for the match which Winsford won 3-2.

Blues claim that as they made a genuine effort to get Edwards on their books, they are being severely punished for an administrative oversight.

Vice-chairman Mark Loveless was told of the punishment, which also included a £100 fine, at a UniBond League management committee meeting last Wednesday.

"We're not accepting the fine or a points deduction," he said. "It's a disgraceful situation. I thought we would be alright, but I couldn't believe it when I was told what they were doing to us.

"It's not as if we took him from another club. He's played for us and signed for us and the form should have been accepted irrespective of anything else."

League secretary Duncan Bayley said: "We understand that it's an administrative error and there's no suggestion of intentional irregularities. But the rules are specific. If there is an ineligible player any points gained in the game in which he played are deducted.

"It's not a them and us situation, we have no problem with them appealing. There's no resentment if they do that.

"My personal view is that if I was in their position I would be appealing. They have a right to do that so there's no animosity."

At the meeting, Guiseley's representative had to leave the room when the subject of Winsford came up, as they are near the bottom of the table with them.

But what has further angered United is that, they claim, word had spread to other clubs about the punishment before they even attended the hearing.

Duncan Bayley added: "We send out an agenda with matters which will come up at our management meeting, so our 16 member clubs have to be made aware of what the problem is before they meet to decide on it.

"But how one person can conclude what the decision will be is beyond me, and to suggest it gets spread around, I've no idea where that came from."