Monrovia — Bea Mountain head coach Robert Lartey has slammed central referee Sylvina Garnett in his team draw away to LISCR FC.
By: Christopher C. Walker 0777898224/0886723075 [email protected]
Lartey believes football in Liberia ‘has improved a great deal, but the referee’s decision plays a key role in his team’s draw.
The league leaders Bea Mountain came from an early-minute goal to pull a 1-1 draw with LISCR on Sunday at the Tusa Field in Gardnersville.
LISCR Sierra Leonian striker Ishmael Dumbuya broke the deadlock in six minutes to give the home side the lead.
Bea Mountain mounted pressure for an equalizer but Mark Paye and Terry Sarkor were unlucky to hit a goal.
Christopher Jackson could have increased the host lead on three occasions in the first but was denied by Emmanuel Deanneh who in goal for the Gold Boys and his shot hit the crossbar minutes into the break.
After the restart, Bea Mountain continues its search for the equalizer with Ketu Jebor Terry Sarkor, and Abdulia Bility coming close.
Substitute Sam Kollie who came on for Mark Paye made an instant impact when he pulled Bea Mountain level with a close-range effort that beat Ashely Williams in goal for LISCR.
Before Bea Mountain’s equalizer, Dumbuya missed three scoring opportunities and his strike partner Christopher Jackson blasted the ball off the goal post to the surprise of the LISCR fans and technical staff.
Sunday’s result means Bea Mountain’s unbeaten run continues and remains at the top of the LFA National First Division league with 37 points while LISCR FC stays second with 35 points.
Lartey’s team may have escaped their first defeat of the season but he told FrontPageAfrica that his team was robbed by the central referee.
According to the Bea Mountain coach, they were denied a penalty for a foul on Sam Kollie during the closing stages of the match.
“I respect the tactics of LISCR FC coach he’s one of the best you can find in the country, the tactics he employed work for him.
“But today, at the last minute the referee robbed us out of our chances of having a deserved penalty, you saw the last foul on Sam Kollie that was a real penalty but the referee did not acknowledge it,” Robert Lartey told FrontPageAfrica.
He said being on top of the league all the teams in the league always come very tough against his team which is normal in football.
Lartey who is the current best coach in Liberia said going down early in the match put him under more pressure because he didn’t want to lose the top of the log to LISCR because when the shopping boys take over the league table its always difficult to bring them down.
“Going down our best thing was to secure a draw or win the game which work for us. In the second half, we played much better than the first half, in the first half we allow LISCR to control the game but in the second half we put pressure on them and this is the kind of football I love my team to play.”
Lartey who once coached LISCR FC considers the league to be still open judging from the current standing but said he will do everything to deliver the title to the people of Grand Cape Mount County and Bea Mountain FC.
For his part, Bea Mountain captain Kemoh Kamara alleged that they had two penalties denied.
“Today, if you look at the officiating of game, we had two penalties because when I was going to the referee there was a communication from outside she was saying its not a penalty. I don’t know whom she was communicating with but however, the case is she’s the referee she decides if it’s a penalty or not,” Kamara said.
The tough central back said he is optimistic that Bea Mountain will win the league this season with hard work from him and his teammates.