BEDFONT Town assistant boss Jon-Barrie Bates has hit back at accusations from Hayes & Yeading that his side are a bunch of hatchet men.

The Peacocks player-coach has launched a vociferous defence of his players after comments from Hayes and Yeading boss Garry Haylock that Bates and his team had intended to injure his players during Tuesday’s Middlesex Senior Cup semi-final.

Bedfont were eventually beaten 1-0 after a spirited performance and Bates rubbished the suggestions that challenges from his players were over the top.

"I didn’t know he had the hump, but I don’t think there was a bad tackle in the game," he said. " I did get booked for a challenge but in my view it was a 50-50 ball.

"Perhaps we should have wrapped them up in cotton wool because they are from the Conference, but they should be used to those sorts of games playing up there because I’ve seen plenty of the Conference and it’s all kick, kick, kick."

Bates was proud of his players, who he claimed had the better of the tie until being sunk by a fantastic free kick from Tom Cadmore.

"It was in before Gary Ross could move and when that happens after we had four or five decent chances you know it’s not your night."

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