Four times this season in Avenue matches the referee has blown his whistle and nobody has quite worked out what it was for.

There has been no appeal from the attacking team, no clue in the press box and confusion in the defence.

And when referee Paul Kettlewell made a shrill blast in the 75th minute on Saturday, it once again signalled the award of a 'mystery penalty' and a day out in the Lakes thoroughly spoiled.

"We were robbed, pure and simple," said a furious Trevor Storton after his side's 2-1 lead at second-placed Barrow had been wiped out by the controversial penalty and an injury-time strikem making the final score 3-2 to Barrow. "I am gutted, absolutely gutted."

Storton, and assistant Ian Thompson, ended the day angrily confronting the official on the pitch after an enthral-ling contest which had been played out in front of more than 1,000 fans at Holker Street.

But the 200-mile round trip to Cumbria had begun so well for Avenue against the second-placed Bluebirds.

After just six minutes, former Barrow boy Andy Hayward flicked on for Danny Walsh to smash home a volley.

The home side, roared on by an aggressive crowd, then came back into the game and minutes after Andy Hill had hit the outside of Chris Howe's post, an equaliser came.

Half the Avenue defence went walkabout, giving Mark Anderson plenty of time to fire home into Howe's bottom corner.

David Donaldson, clearly not recovered from a hamstring injury, then limped off before Avenue took the lead again. This time it was Jason Maxwell, rejuvenated after a week's rest, who headed across for Simon Collins to rampage through, taking the ball on his chest and thumping home a left-foot volley for 2-1.

Walsh (Storton's man of the match) was then unlucky when his delicate chip hit the top of the bar just before the break.

After half-time, Barrow came back with Anderson wasting another good chance, but as the home side pushed forward, Avenue had their chances.

Maxwell fired one over as the defence backed off, but the next significant moment was the game-changing one.

A Barrow corner had been cleared off the line and on the edge of the area it hit Robbie Painter on the chest or shoulder.

The referee mysteriously blew his whistle and Avenue were furious. Steve Gaughan fired home the penalty and the scores were tied.

Collins (twice), Hayward and Maxwell all went close as Avenue sought the win, but 160 seconds into the four minutes of injury-time, the defence failed to clear a long throw and Mark Salmon was on hand to fire home from close range