Despite losing an away controversial 0-1 loss to
Spotlight of Katsina on Saturday, Supreme Court FC handler, Henry Haggai has
praised the resilience spirit of his players whose brilliant incursions were
truncated by match officials.
Speaking after their encounter with the Shema Boys
at the Katsina township stadium, Coach Haggai described the unwarranted spot
decision meted out by center Referee Mr A. Gbadamasi as unfortunate while
insisting that his side deserved victory after they fought hard throughout the
90 minutes of play.
Taking a look at how both teams fared in one of the
match day 9 of the Nigeria National League (NNL), Spotlight first capitalized
on a slide by the visitors which resulted to spot kick before they established
an early lead when the ball deflected in their favour.
Afterwards, the Apex Boys as the Abuja-based team
are fondly known took the ball to opponents’ half in the remaining part of the
game in search of an equalizer but were denied access by the center Referee who
refused to award several fouls committed by the home club, the very obvious
being when the opponent’s defender brought down Supreme’s striker Eric Eric in
stoppage time yet the referee refused to award free kick on the touchline.
Notwithstanding, the striking force of the
Abuja-based team comprising of regulars, Peter Michael, Joseph Adebayo and new
inclusion, Eric Eric continued to mount pressure till regulation time.
Coach Haggai remarked “We didn’t deserve to lose
this match in any way but the officials decided to do what they like even the
match commissioner admitted that the Center Referee was biased. I must say that
my players played to instruction and fought to cancel the early goal which came
as a result of deflection.
“What has happened has happened. Is just that this
kind of actions by match officials can’t help to develop the game of football
in Nigeria. We will continue to do our best as the season progresses.”
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