Boys' Town striker Michael Campbell (left) gets past Leon Irvin of Village United in their Wray and Nephew NPL match at the Waterhouse Mini Stadium on Sunday. Village won 2-1. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer

Referee Kevin Morrison stole the spotlight in a highly controversial game as home team Waterhouse edged Reno 1-0 in their Wray and Nephew National Premier League (NPL) encounter at Waterhouse Mini Stadium on Sunday night.

A Brian Wollaston strike in the fourth minute ensured that Waterhouse remain top of the NPL standing on 40 points, the same as Harbour View.

Title hopeful Reno slipped six points behind the leaders on 34 points but have an unfinished game against Boys' Town to be played at a date to be announced.

The controversial goal came about after the tall Wollaston met an Irvino English cross and saw his header hit the crossbar on its way down. The assistant referee Karl Tyrell immediately sprinted towards the half line after signalling that the ball had crossed the line. But referee Morrison's delayed action in signalling goal caused an uproar.

Referee Morrison told TheGleaner he was not privileged to discuss his decision.

No comment

"I am not allowed to make comments in the paper. The decision was already made."

But a livid Wendell Downswell, coach of Reno, was not afraid to comment on what he deemed poor refereeing.

"I am not somebody who quarrels about decisions but the referee was in the appropriate position. The referee was closer to the play and he didn't signal goal. How is that?" asked Downswell.

He continued: "The referee was in the 18-yard box. Why a man who was further down from him can make that decision?"

However, Downswell, the former national technical director, thinks that the quality of football on display augurs well for local football.

A good game

"Overall it was a good game, a high-quality game that lived up to expectations. It was end-to-end and the spectators got their money's worth and this augurs well for local football. It was extremely competitive and once you can get quality games like this on a consistent basis, it will improve the football significantly," he noted. Winning coach Barrington Gaynor, saw nothing wrong with the referee's decision.

"From the ball hit the bar and come down, I saw the linesman run towards the half line. I figured it was a goal. Whatever decision they make, I just work with it," said Gaynor.

In a highly-charged encounter, Gaynor was happy for taking maximum points off one of their main rivals.

"It was a very important win considering that the Reno team were on a run and they were three points behind us. I am glad to get them off our back," he noted.

Meanwhile, home team Arnett Gardens came away 2-0 winners over ailing Seba United in their match on Sunday also, at Tony Spaulding Sports Complex.

Loxley Thompson opened the scoring in the 22nd minute and substitute Horace Sharpe netted the second goal at the 86th minute. Arnett are joint fifth on 27 points, while Seba lie third from bottom on 18.

- H. W.

Waterhouse