MIDFIELDER David Steele claims a dubious penalty decision cost Tiverton Town dear during their 2-1 defeat at the hands of Truro City at Ladysmead on Monday.

Adam Mortimer cancelled out Barry McConnell's first half penalty to leave the game hanging on a knife edge.

But, when a Truro player ran into Yellows midfielder Perry Carpenter with 20 minutes left, the referee pointed to the spot.

McConnell stepped up to send Ryan Draper the wrong way and seal all three Southern League Premier Division points for the Cornish side.

Steele said: "There was no doubt that the first penalty was the correct decision, but in my eyes the second one was never a penalty.

"Perry (Carpenter) has stood his ground and their lad has just bounced into him. It was not a penalty in my opinion and it was dubious to say the least.

"It was very disappointing because we worked our socks off to weather everything they chucked at us in the first half."

Steele said the players did their best to put former Exeter City midfielder McConnell off as he stepped up to take the all-important spot kick.

"He tucked away both penalties and on both occasions he sent the keeper the wrong way," said Steele. "We tried to give him a bit of stick, but he doesn't miss many."

Despite suffering back-to-back defeats in the space of 48 hours — they lost 5-0 at Cambridge City on Saturday — Steele says the players responded in a positive fashion.

"This was a big improvement from Saturday," said Steele.

"Saturday was one of those days when everything went wrong for us. It wasn't good enough and we needed to have a reaction.

"We wanted to show that we were determined to put it right and we did a lot better.

"They put us under a lot of pressure in the first half and we were relieved to only go in 1-0 down at the interval.

"It was just a shame that we couldn't get the second goal and earn ourselves a point.

"We need to put these two defeats behind us now and move on to Saturday."