POLFA grudge match: referee accused of bias
BONE-CRUSHING tackles, a dubious penalty and officials' stand-off characterised the grudge match between Polokwane Youth Academy and Polokwane Royals FC, which was played at the Westenburg Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
POLOKWANE – BONE-CRUSHING tackles, a dubious penalty and officials’ stand-off characterised the grudge match between Polokwane Youth Academy and Polokwane Royals FC, which was played at the Westenburg Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The match took off in a blistering pace with both sets of players taking no prisoners and with the referee failing dismally to control the game with career-ending tackles being the order of the day.
A goal by Polokwane Royals seemed to have won them three points, but the referee increased the game time to seven minutes after regulation time.
Polokwane Royals players and officials alike seemed to have had enough when the referee awarded a dubious penalty to Polokwane Youth Academy in the 97th minute. Royals officials stormed into the field, questioned the referee what the reason was for the seven minute increase in play, before ordering their players to leave the field of play.
Head coach of Polokwane Royals, Morris More, said the referee was sabo-taging the club and that he could not watch as the players were robbed in broad daylight.
“If we won the match, we would be joint log leaders with only goal differences separating us from Nubian Kings. The referee and his assistant were pawns for Nubian Kings. They wanted us to lose points. That is why they added seven minutes and awarded a fake penalty,” a fuming More said.
He added that they would lodge a formal complaint with the Polokwane Local Football Association (Polfa).
Polfa city cluster stream A coordinator, Thabiso Sekhu, said the lack of match officials compromised the standard of football in the league.
“We had one referee but he left when he was called to officiate an SAB league match, which pays better than we do.
“On what happened on the field I will send my match report to the office and they will make a decision.
“The referee was selected by both clubs and I was never involved,” said Sekhu, who is also the coach of Nubian Kings.
Polokwane Royals won this contentious game 1-0.
