Referee, linesmen criticised

Press, 30 May 1983, Page 30

Referee, linesmen criticised

PA Auckland Queens Park Rangers’ manager, Alan Harris, criticised the referee and linesmen after the England second division champions had drawn 2-2 with an Auckland Invitation side at Mt Smart stadium yesterday. In snaring the honours, Auckland denied the visitors of a three-win tour of New Zealand. Mr Harris said that both Auckland goals had. been scored from offside ft|ay, and he took issue match officials, referfee

Tom Delahunty (Wellington) and linesmen Bill Munro and Ken Wallace, both of Auckland. “I felt the officials, collectively, were well below the standard expected, and required at this level,” he said. “Auckland were a fair side, but one can only have real doubts about the two goals they scored. “If there was a hint that the first goal came from an offside position then the second was worse: the player was at least five yards offside,” he said. Twice Auckland fought back from a goal down,

Auckland took time to settle down, and Rangers threatened to run up a big score. Clive Allen scored for Rangers after 17 minutes. Keitlh “Buzzer” Mackay, Adrian Elrick, and Billy McClure, saw the game as a means to show the New Zealand coach, Allan Jones, that they? are still worthy of their plaices. They succeeded admirably. John lieigh, who had a grand game at right back, was rewarded when he ran on to a bail from Mackay to beat . th'.e goalkeeper, Grahffi Benstead, and leve. at 1-1.

Wayne Fereday netted a long shot to notch the visitors’ second goal. Eight minutes into the second spell Mackay, Nigel Debenham, and McClure, combined well before the ball was squared to Elrick, who fired home from close range. Four minutes from time, Keith Hobbs, who had toiled well all game in the midfield, had the chance to steal the game when Mackay found him unmarked on the six-yard pie, blit Hobbs side-footed', the ball wide.