UMUAHIA – Some irate players of Unicem Rovers FC of Calabar on Wednesday hauled invectives on Assistant Referee Josephine Jackson from Edo, following their 0-1 loss to Abia Comets FC.
The Nigeria National League midweek match was played at the Township stadium in Umuahia.
Some of the Unicem Rovers’ players brazenly accosted Jackson on her way out of the pitch at the blast of the final whistle of the match.
They accused her of biassed officiating against them.
The players and their Chief Coach, Duncan Effiuat, rained insults on her while pointing fingers menacingly at her and threatening to deal with her.
It took the quick intervention of some officials of Abia Comet, including Coach Victor Nwakanma, players and security operatives to avert trouble at the stadium.
Attempts to get the reaction of Effiuat on the development were unsuccessful.
Effiuat, who looked agitated, angrily dismissed the NAN correspondent who approached her for comments, saying that she was not prepared to talk.
“I am not going to talk to reporters here, go and write what you saw,’’ Effiuat said angrily.
Meanwhile, Nwakanma has expressed delight over the outcome of the match, saying that he was not bothered by the slim goal margin.
“What matters is that we picked all our points,’’ he told NAN, adding that the players gave a good account of themselves.
He declined comments on the alleged biassed officiating which favoured his side, saying that as a former referee, I don not comment on officiating of matches involving my team.
That the lone goal of the match was scored by Ikenna Ogu in the 38th minute.(NAN)
