Chairman Gary Condon has hinted Aston Rowant will appeal against the decision to deduct them 25 points for their part in the pitch battle with Basingstoke & North Hants.

The decision, made at a Home Counties League disciplinary hearing on Thursday night, sees the club drop from first to third in the final Division 2 West table –- meaning they miss out on promotion.

Basingstoke have been handed the same punishment, with Rowant’s Tim Miles and Basingstoke’s Dean Nurse – the players who came to blows during the clash on August 22 – each handed a one-year ban, with a further year suspended until the end of the 2011 season.

The league’s original decision on the case had to be rescinded because neither club was invited to attend the meeting, as the rules required.

After postponing the meeting three times, they eventually reached a decision – but not one to Rowant’s liking.

“We are very disappointed,” Condon said.

“We have a meeting on Monday to decide what we do next.

“We can reflect upon it over the weekend and see what we feel is the best way forward.”

When asked if the club are likely to contest the decision, he replied: “Possibly, yes.”

I understand that Rowant were stunned at the outcome having heard the league’s summing-up.

In it, they are understood to have accepted that Nurse charged at Miles and punched him, spilling blood.

They also noted that there had been no apology from Nurse, or any action taken by Basingstoke over the incident.

Furthermore, Nurse’s poor disciplinary record also came under the spotlight.

The league added that they realised Miles suffered a great deal of abuse, was charged at and hit – but appreciated that he had apologised for his reaction, and also noted that the club had been quick to deal with the situation.

However, they then dished out the same penalties to both clubs and players alike.

The league issued a statement yesterday afternoon revealing the punishments, but chairman Ray Wood refused to elaborate on the decision.

However, as if they had not been criticised enough for taking nearly two months to reach a verdict, point three of their statement read: “The Panel places a reprimand on the record of both captains, Wesley Morris of Aston Rowant CC and Russell Droy of Basingstoke & North Hants CC.”

Rowant’s captain is, of course, Wesley Morrick.

The club will now have seven days in which to lodge an appeal.