Coach Steve Barker and his Stellies FC team have every right to be barking mad today, following their 3-1 MTN8 final defeat to Orlando Pirates at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday.
With the scoreboard reading 1-1 in the first of four added minutes after the 90 minutes was already up on the clock, Stellies defender Ismael Toure crashed into Bucs attacker Patrick Maswanganyi some 10 to 15 metres or so outside the box.
Referee Abongile Tom immediately blew his whistle for the free-kick and while the Stellies players were still protesting and “talking to the ref”, Pirates’ Thabiso Sesane took a quick free kick behind their backs the hele metres away from where the foul took place and played in Tshegofatso Mabasa to make it 2-1 for Bucs.
Pirates wonderkid Relebohile Mofokeng then added an even later third – but by that time it seemed that a bitter Stellies just wanted to get off the pitch.
Of the defeat, Stellies coach Steve Barker says: “I thought it was a really good game of football.”
He then adds of THAT decision: “It’s a decision that is absolutely indescribable; that a free-kick can be taken four-five metres closer to goal…
“It changes, obviously, the complexion of the game. I was starting to look forward to extra time and I thought we were starting to look the better team.
“I thought if we had to go to extra time, we would have lifted the trophy…
“It’s a difficult pill to swallow…”
Earlier in the clash, Bradley Mojela gave Stellies the lead in the 12th minute with a superb bicycle kick, before Monnapule Saleng equalised two minutes before the break.
With the international break coming up, Stellies can lek hul wonde until the end of the month before returning to PSL action.