York RI Football Club have reacted angrily to being thrown out of the North Riding Senior Cup for not playing their tie with Cleveland outfit Carlin How.

An NRCFA hearing ruled that the West Yorkshire League Club should have played their second preliminary round tie away from home after their own New Lane pitch was deemed unfit.

But the York club, who now miss out on the chance to face York City, Middlesbrough or Scarborough in the later stages, have claimed they did not have time to make travel arrangements, with their pitch being deemed unplayable only the night before the match was due to be played.

A county FA spokesman said: "Rule 20 says if the home side's pitch is not fit they must find an alternative pitch or travel to the opponents' ground (on that scheduled date). Carlin How put in a letter to us complaining York RI did not travel there and the commission decided they had little option but to dismiss them.

"We have this rule so that we don't get a backlog of fixtures."

The tie was scheduled for last Saturday, but was called off the night before due to a waterlogged pitch.

RI assistant manager John Raynor said: "We were dragged in front of the NRCFA and thrown out of the competition. We're not very happy about it at all, but the commission has the final word and we can't appeal.

"Considering what RI do for NRCFA, such as letting them use our facilities for things like trial matches, this is how they repay us.

"We can't control the weather, and what chance have you got to organise a bus on a Friday night before a game?"