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.

• FA Cup first qualifying round draw

“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 were chances at either end. The replay is a 50:50 game.

“I’d imagine it will be a similar game. They’re a good side but you can see they go looking for free-kicks and to get people bookings, which they don’t need to do.

“I said to them after the game you don’t need to be like that, you’re good enough to win games without all that.”

The winners host Hayes & Yeading in the first qualifying round on September 3.