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Ray Bande in MUTARE
Buffaloes FC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0) 2
Chicken Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0) 2
BUFFALOES’ coach Saul Chaminuka was an angry man yesterday and blamed referee Thabani Bamala for his men’s defeat at the hands of Castle Lager Premiership leaders Chicken Inn at Sakubva yesterday. Bamala’s questionable calls, which bordered on cruelty against the home team, made a huge difference in the outcome of this match. Just six minutes into the encounter, Farari Banda’s free-kick was parried over the crossbar by Chicken Inn goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze but the referee awarded the visitors a goal-kick.

Eight minutes later, the hosts were denied what appeared to be a genuine penalty when Banda was was brought down in the box by Lawrence Mhlanga.

The referee waved play on.

“When we talk about referees we are sanctioned but I really do not know whether we should keep quiet when we see these things happening everyday,” said Chaminuka. “You saw it for yourselves when the referee tried hard to take the ball away from us each time we were in possession through dubious calls.

“We all saw how that fine through pass to my striker ended up in having the striker being dragged down and the referee does nothing about it.

“It is even more painful when you realise that the same first assistant referee who officiated today was the same man who denied us a goal only on Saturday away at WhaWha. “One wonders whether this is a conspiracy against us or there are teams that need help at our expense.