Marques ‘disgusted and bitter’ over referee’s added time

PREMIER Soccer League referees are again in the spotlight with Moroka Swallows’ Zeca Marques the latest in a long list of local coaches who have accused the officials of costing them valuable points.

The Swallows coach was fuming on Tuesday night after his side went down 3-2 to Kaizer Chiefs at Soccer City, the winner scored by Lehlohonolo Majoro in referee Victor Gomes’s optional time.

“I am disgusted and bitter. We never lost the game, by the way. The game was stolen from us. These are the kind of decisions that can cost me my job,” said an irritated Marques.

“When you have got two great sides giving their best to try win the game and someone comes in and decides who the winner should be, it is disheartening.”

With the defeat to Soweto rivals Chiefs, who remain unbeaten and at the top of the standings, the Dube Birds have now played four league games without a win. Marques said he could not figure out where the seven minutes of injury time came from despite several players receiving medical attention late in the second half.

“I am starting to see a certain pattern with referees and this is not healthy for us. I was convinced we were playing the golden goal rule – Chiefs scored and the game was finished,” said the coach, whose team remain seventh on the log,

“All we expect is for the referee to do his job like everyone else. My brother was a referee in the PSL for a long time and I understand the difficulties of the job. But I think fair play needs to apply.”

Marques will be hoping for better judgments from the officials when Swal- lows host Maritzburg United at Dobsonville Stadium on Saturday night.

Stuart Baxter, the AmaKhosi coach, was sympathetic to Marques, sharing his sentiments regarding the added time.

“I quite agree with what Zeca said and I am still trying to make sense of it myself,” Baxter said.

“As a colleague I can agree with Zeca because winning a game like that is fantastic, but losing it is a hellhole.”