Asamankese-based Class One referee, Vincent Otoo, must be cursing his stars for agreeing to officiate the 24th week league fixture between Tema Youth and Bechem Chelsea las Sunday at the Tema Stadium.
In spite of the fact the match was played by two clubs described by many as ‘brothers’ because they have so many things in common, tempers reached boiling point, spilling over to the poor referee.
The home team, Tema Youth, vented their spleen on the referee for awarding what appeared a clean penalty to Bechem Chelsea that resulted in the only goal of the match.
He was attacked by some fans of Tema Youth spearheaded by the club’s technical team. Over 12 players were booked for various offences in what started as a minor complaint from club secretary, Sam Williams, in the company of Team Manager, Alex Ahadzie, and Henry Asante, the Public Relations Officer.
The referee was threatened, verbally assaulted as tempers reached uncontrolable pitch.
A substittute of Tema Youth, Sam Ocran, handled the ball on the 76th minute in the penalty area. The resultant kick which led to Chlesea’s only goal infuriated Ocran to physically heckling the referee while goalkeeper Patrick Antwi and his colleagues joined, in the verbal assault in the full glare of the police.
Referee Otoo’s worse nightmare came when minutes later Club Secretary, Williams, and Alex Ahadzie rushed on him, apparantly to harm him.
In the process Ahadzie gave him a severe knock on the face, sending him sprawling on the floor. Mr Ocran also head-butted the referee when club officials closed in on him.
A police re-enforcement which arrived late at the scene tried arresting Mr Ahadzie, but Club Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Wilfred ‘Parma’ Osei, joined in the fray.
The officials engaged the police in a brawl which lasted for about 30 minutes. As club officials and fans of the home team held the referee and media personnel hostage on the playing field for an hour, head trainer of Tema Youth, Atila, who had been observing proceedings from the wings and could not come to terms with the loss, also charged on the referee.
The police, however, managed to whisk the refere away from the angry supporters who besieged the entrance of the inner perimeter, calling for his blood.
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