Stellenbosch FC coach Gavin Hunt.
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Stellenbosch FC coach Gavin Hunt has bemoaned the standard of officiating in South African football, after his team’s 2-1 loss to Richards Bay at the King Zwelithini Stadium.
The defeat also brought an end to Stellies’ eight-match unbeaten run in the Betway Premiership. Hunt was not willing to pinpoint the exact decision that raised the ire in the Stellenbosch camp, but it was clear that the visitors bench were not happy with the penalty awarded to the home team in the second half.
It resulted in Moses Mthembu stepping up to slot home the winner for Richards Bay from the spot. Stellies certainly showed their frustrations at the final whistle when Hunt, along with some of his players and support staff, were involved in an altercation with the officials.
“It’s a problem, we should have won the game comfortably, we were by far the better team,” Hunt said. “But then you get decisions like that in football, which is going to happen, I said it's going to happen.
“It was coming up this week in the game, so we know it's going to come. It was a disgraceful decision and that’s why the football in South Africa can’t get better.”
Stellenbosch have an extended break now with their next fixture only scheduled for next week Friday against Sekhukhune United at the Athlone Stadium. Sekhukhune, however, do play before that encounter as Eric Tinkler’s side face relegation-threatened Magesi FC at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday.
Tinkler’s side have been on a bit of a slide during the second half of the season with the former Bafana Bafana midfielder admitting that qualification for next season’s CAF Confederation Cup may be a stretch now after their 2-2 draw with fellow continental contenders AmaZulu on Monday.
Sekhukhune will no doubt be desperate to return to winning ways against Magesi FC, who are fresh off a 3-0 victory over Marumo Gallants, before facing a determined Stellies outfit.
Hunt was eager to put the Richards Bay result behind them and was already looking ahead to the clash against Sekhukhune.
“We just keep playing like we say and, hopefully, we don't get the (referee) situation like we got (Tuesday night),” he said.
There were some positives to come out of the Richards Bay clash for Hunt and Stellies with midfielder Khomotjo Lekoloane making his long-awaited return from injury as a second-half replacement. Lekoloane last played back in February in the CAF Confederation Cup tie against Singida Black Stars FC from Tanzania.