Stegadon Firebell Zombie Roaster

[Subject Keyword]

Perhaps a noob question, perhaps not. I couldn't for the life of me find any clarification on this in the Rulebook.

I was fighting Lizard Men with my VC and I had had a moment where 5 Zombies were charged during the movement phase by a Stegadon. So, he moved it into contact with the Zombies. Then came the magic phase, where the Giant dinosaur's bulls**t "burn everything in the vicinity to smithereens" power (the Burning Alignment) cremated all five zombies. When the close combat phase began, he argued that he had won the CC with the zombies, and could therefore make a consolidation move that would ROYALLY screw the rest of my game.

The ref in the room backed him up, but couldn't find anywhere in the book that made it clear.

Now, it doesn't make any sense to me that a Stegadon could win close combat in the magic phase, but I am open to interpretation on this one.

[Lord Azaghul]

Nothing shaddy there. He charge into a combat. Unit was whiped out, before the combat phase, but he charged into combat none the less. It would count as an overrun move.
Next time don't guard your flank with 5 zombies!

Fyi - there's alot in the book(s) that's not clear.

Edit:
The newer books have a lot of strange interactions. I don't have my main brb with me at the moment, but I think there is an FAQ that has covered such an occurance.

[Earthen]

lizardmen sound kinda fun, hahaha