Follow the rulebook or make it right?

[big daddy]

Had the following happen in a Varisty Game last Friday night.

Team A leads by 5 with 16 seconds left and has not won a game all year. Team B (Home) is inbounding from the frontcourt baseline after a time-out. Ball comes inbounds, is passed to point, then passed to opposite corner where B1 takes 1 dribble, then shoots a three that hits nothing but net. A1 retrieves runs 2-3 steps on the baseline and inbounds to A2 who passes crosscourt to A3 who is immediately fouled. I look up after calling the foul and there is 10 seconds on the clock. The timer says he "forgot" to start the clock when B inbounded, but didn't stop it immediately when I blew the whislte to call the foul, A coach is livid, B coach thinks it's OK because time ran off the other end. I have no definite way of knowing how much time ran off but feel Team A has been screwed by a home court timer. I decide to take time off & reset to 8 seconds (clock does not have tenths).

I know this is not the way the book says to do it but feel it was the fair thing to do and would appreciate feedback.