TWO controversial refereeing decisions and a poor home performance handed bottom club Ilford a potential relegation lifeline at Burroughs Park on Saturday.

Home followers in the 85-strong crowd were outraged when match official Robert Mackay ruled that stand-in central defender Louis Sparrow had deliberately handled a rebound blasted straight at him by Petric Elbi after blocking the same player's original shot.

Elbi calmly slotted home the resulting 70th-minute penalty.

And there was further consternation in the Rovers ranks soon after when home substitute striker Anton Dwyer appeared to be clearly fouled in the box as Wakering hunted the equaliser, only for spot-kick appeals to be turned down.

Home boss Iain O'Connell was an angry and disappointed man at the end as his side lost for the seventh time in eight games.

"As far as I'm concerned the referee got both decisions wrong," he said. "The penalty they were awarded was never deliberate handball and Anton was kicked in the face at the other end.

"But leaving both of these decisions aside, and the fact that we were very much understrength, we should have had enough to have beaten Ilford.

"But too many of our players didn't seem to want it enough. They were prepared to accept defeat. They should have taken the example from our skipper Nikki Beale.

"He's been magnificent this season again and just hates losing. He was beating the ground in frustration at the end."

Wakering got off to a storming start and took a 75-second lead when, from Sam Clarke's free-kick, ex-Rovers' keeper James Marrable's attempted clearance was headed home by James White.

White was forced off injured soon after and the hosts were really thin on the ground when striker Neil Richmond also made an early departure with a knock.

Elbi equalised on 22 minutes and, although youngsters such as recent Southend Manor left-back signing Grant Khory-Davinson showed promise for the future, it was Ilford's day in the end.

With a Wivenhoe side immediately above them also winning, they still look favourites for the drop, but defeats for Tilbury and Waltham Forest have kept Ilford alive for another week.

As for Wakering, they are comfortable for this season and will finish no lower than 14th, but could do with giving their followers a late-season lift after a particularly disappointing run.