Hunt shows some restraint over ref

Gavin Hunt stopped short of directly criticising referee Victor Gomes after Bidvest Wits’ 2-1 Absa Premiership win at Golden Arrows on Saturday, but it didn’t take a genius to work out where the source of his anger lay.

Gomes has developed a habit of dishing out penalties in his time as a match official, and he awarded another three at the Princess Magogo Stadium on Saturday, one to Wits and two to Arrows.

He also sent off Clever Boys striker James Keene and Arrows midfielder Jabulani Shongwe in stoppage time for an altercation as Keene shoved Shongwe away because he was trying to drag an injured Wits player off the field.

“Obviously I can’t say what I want to say … I will get the biggest fine in South African history,” Hunt said afterwards.

“I don’t know, it is getting worse and worse, we battled away and got through it and that is the most important thing … if this is where football is going, then there are problems.”

It was actually Wits who benefited from the penalty decision from Gomes that was the worst, as the referee gave a handball against Arrows defender Matome Mathiane five minutes before half-time, when replays showed Sifiso Hlanti’s cross had clearly struck him in the face.

Lehlohonolo Majoro slotted home the spotkick, which put Wits 2-0 up after Gabadinho Mhango’s fine header from Hlanti’s cross had given them the lead.

Gomes then gave Arrows two penalties in the second half, a soft one for a foul on Lerato Lamola, and one that probably was correct, as Nazeer Allie was adjudged to have tripped Velemseni Ndwandwe.

Knox Mutizwa missed the first penalty, hitting the inside of the post, and while Limbikani Mzava thumped the second through Darren Keet’s legs, it was not enough to stop Wits.

“I must commend my players for the way they fought right up until the end,” Arrows coach Larsen said.

“Up until they got the first goal, it was all us controlling the game.”