Top honours for match officials
Manawatu¯ officials have cleaned up at New Zealand Football’s referee of the year awards.
Manawatu¯ whistleblowers won most of the awards as the country’s leading match officials have been recognised.
Matt Conger, of Palmerston North, was named men’s referee of the year, while Auckland’s Anna-marie Keighley, who was previously based in Manawatu¯, won the women’s referee of the year title.
In addition to domestic competitions last year, Conger officiated in the OFC Champions League and OFC men’s Olympic qualifiers, as well as in the Saudi Arabia and China professional leagues.
He also refereed one of the most famous fixtures in world football, controlling the latest instalment of the fierce rivalry between Brazil and Argentina in December.
The highlight of Keighley’s year was the Fifa women’s World Cup in France, while she also took part in the Algarve Cup in Portugal and refereed an international friendly between Australia and Chile.
Keighley was joined in officiating at the World Cup and Algarve Cup by Waikato-bay of Plenty’s Sarah Jones, who was named women’s assistant referee of the year.
Men’s assistant referee of the year went to Palmerston North’s Mark Rule, who joined Conger in officiating at the OFC Champions League and OFC men’s Olympic qualifiers, as well as the BrazilArgentina match.
In futsal, Manawatu¯’s Antony Riley was named men’s futsal referee of the year, after officiating at the OFC futsal Nations Cup and OFC futsal Champions League.
Keighley picked up a double, also winning women’s futsal referee of the year.
New Zealand Football referee development manager Ken Wallace said it was difficult for the panel to decide who should be recognised and the voting was close.
‘‘The winners have ultimately been recognised for their high achievement on the field and their professionalism off the field.
‘‘They have put in a great deal of time and effort, often at their own expense, to compete with their colleagues overseas, some of whom are fully professional.’’