Sugar Boys disgrace memory of Terry Evans
Given the mass walk off, leaving just a few Sugar Boys on the field, the referee had no choice but to abandon the game and award the win to the Islanders.
The fact that McTair James hit his volley with power and great execution became irrelevant as did the fact it was worthy of a goal in any circumstances, but what became more than relevant was the reaction of the Sugar Boys when the linesman indicated to the referee that the ball had crossed the line and a disputed decision resulted in a mass walk off from the players that left Coach Jeffrey Demming shocked and visibly upset and also resulted in the Islanders being crowned Terry Evans Cup Champions.
“I’m always grateful for the opportunity to play, I got the shot in and thought it was good, I’m very proud of the work the team put in and we deserved to win,” stated James
The goal had come on the stroke of half time and had given the Islanders, who were playing with a higher tempo and a much more fluent brand of football than previously this season, a 2-0 advantage following the opener from Francis Primo.
“I know sugar boys came out to play and have been talking about their big win in the Wendol Williams cup, but we came out tonight and showed them how to play football,” commented Islanders Coach Avondale Williams”
The Islanders were in control of the early exchanges with both Rohan Lenon and Valdo Anderson proving a handful with skillful runs into space and an ability to lose their markers, but despite the fluidity of motion it was a long ball from Skipper Andy Davis that led to the opening goal for Francis Primo.
The pass split the last two defenders allowing Primo to burst through and slot the ball home past the advancing keeper, Stephan Dandrade, and into the empty net.
Anderson then had a lobbed effort saved by Dandrade and the resulting corner was also cleared by the keeper.
Noel Isaacs was then just unable to get his header on target from six yards out following another corner from Venton James and the same player would also see his attempted curling free kick from 20 yards out strike the defensive wall. Andersen saw a follow up shot go inches wide under pressure from Maxford Pipe.
After a curling effort from Sugar Boys’ Derrick Childs had given Monty Butler in the Islanders goal his first cause for concern, Lenon went off with a pulled hamstring and on came McTair James. Only moments later the game came to an unruly and a hugely disappointing end.
Although 2-0 down only a few weeks ago the Sugar Boy’s had scored five second half goals to lift the Wendol Willaims Cup against the same opposition.
“No one would be happy with how it ended, it’s so embarrassing, I can’t even begin to explain it,” said Coach Jeffrey Demming. “The referees decision is final, right or wrong, so my guys have no excuse in walking off the field. We played the same team in the Wendol Williams and won with five second half goals. I just can’t understand it; they got so hyper and made wrong decisions.”
Demming also said it would take a few days for him to come to terms with what had transpired and then he would sit down with his team and work out where they go from here.
BVIFA President Andy Bickerton echoed Demming’s words at the Trophy Presentation. “The referee’s decision is final whether right or wrong and it’s no excuse to walk off the field. We are very disappointed the game didn’t go the full 90 minutes, but that’s not why we are here tonight. We are here to celebrate the contribution Terry Evans made to football in the Virgin Islands.”
Impartial observers close to the action initially thought the referee had blown for an infringement on the goal keeper by Anderson as he followed up the James’ rocket shot and equally as many were stunned when the goal was given, but those opinions don’t matter as the referee’s decision is final. He consulted the linesman, who agreed the ball had crossed the line, so the goal stood.
Every team in every game has decisions that go against them, but players have to rise above that and get on with the game and as Terry Evans widow noted during the Trophy Presentation, “It's with mixed emotions that I’m here tonight to present the Trophy. Its years since I’ve been here and I’m disappointed to see that a call was made and the team then left the field. The referee’s decision is final and if my deceased husband was here he would have had words to say and this trophy would not have been handed out. He was passionate about his football and I hope his legacy will be continued.”
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18 Responses to “Sugar Boys disgrace memory of Terry Evans”
If the team get band the Refs MUST also. last night left a bad taste for soccer in my mind.
I think that Terry Evans widow summed it up best during the Trophy Presentation - quote from above: “It's with mixed emotions that I’m here tonight to present the Trophy. Its years since I’ve been here and I’m disappointed to see that a call was made and the team then left the field. The referee’s decision is final and if my deceased husband was here he would have had words to say and this trophy would not have been handed out”. So please read it / hear it for what it is - "HE WOULD HAVE HAD WORDS TO SAY AND THIS TROPHY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN HANDED OUT".
Let's face it, Sugar Boys and Islanders are best two teams in the BVI and everybody knows it. However, there are some advantages and disadvantages that they face. When the time comes, that Virgin Gorda will have anything even resembling football pitch in stead glass and rock covered hillside, and Sugar Boys, or any other team on VG will have training facilities and FA support anywhere close to that of Islanders, and referees will take their responsibility seriously , we will be able to say that chances are fair and equal, and we will see beautiful football for what it is.
A.K.
Cut the bull!! In every single sport, even those with replays there are bad calls. That is the nature of sports. Being real, if this happened in the final seconds of the game and the team won as a result, I could understand the reaction. But this was going into half-time. The game still had an entire half to play, they were only down 2-0. It's share ignorance what they did and no amount of paragraphs can change that. There are officials being paid millions around the world to officiate and they too make bad calls but it's about being professional and being a team sport. That was a nasty display especially in a sport we are trying to build for the youth of the Territory. Bad call or bad call not, what they did was bull. The game was far from over, they are little pissy tail dumb boys!
I agree with you in principle (and rule) that no team (or player) should leave the field of play during the game without being so instructed by the referee. I also agree that bad calls are being made in many situations where human limitation factor is in play (replays have little to do with refs during the game as they are for fans watching the game, and only may be reviewed by refs and comities after the game), however I disagree with you that bad calls are the nature of sports. Bad calls are the nature of bad refereeing, and human limitations ( not seeing the situation clearly for the distance or obstruction by the payers on the field — bad referee position), and that is the very reason, that AARs (Additional Assistant Referees) are a standard now, especially in cup tournaments. You know what AARs are for (? )..- so to limit bad calls.
"The additional assistant referees, subject to the decision of the referee, are to indicate:
• when the whole of the ball leaves the field of play over the goal line
• which team is entitled to a corner kick or goal kick
• when misconduct or any other incident occurs out of the view of the referee
• when offences have been committed whenever the additional assistant referees have a better
view than the referee, particularly inside the penalty area
• whether, at penalty kicks, the goalkeeper moves off the goal line before the ball is kicked and if
the ball crosses the line
SECRETARY GENERAL FIFA
For the Game. For the World.
TO THE MEMBERS OF FIFA
Circular no, 1322
Zurich, 25 October 2012
SG/bru
IFAB Annual Business Meeting, 2 October 2012 - decisions and directives
Dear Sir or Madam,
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) convened at the Mar Hall Hotel in Bishopton
(Scotland) on 2 October 2012 for its Annual Business Meeting (ABM) under the chairmanship of the
Scottish FA's CEO, Stewart Regan,
With reference to Circular 1315 and the mandate given to the ABM by the Special Meeting on 5 July
2012 - as an exception to the approval process - the following amendments to the Laws of the Game
were sanctioned and the various instructions and directives issued:
LAWS OF THE GAME AND DECISIONS OF THE BOARD
1. Additional assistant referees (AARs)
Amendments to the Laws of the Game
The members discussed and approved a new section entitled "The Additional Assistant
Referees" after the section "The Fourth Official and the Reserve Assistant Referee" (p, 57) as
well as a section in the Interpretation of the Laws of the Game and Guidelines for Referees,
Furthermore, it was agreed that a protocol explaining the application of AARs is no longer
required, as the new amendment is sufficient.
The above-mentioned new section is enclosed,
Federation Internationale de Football Association
FIFA·Strasse 20 P.O. Box 8044 Zurich Switzerland Tel: +41-(0)43-222 7777 Fax: +41-(0)43-222 7878 www,FIFA,com 1/2
THE ADDITIONAL ASSISTANT REFEREES
Additional assistant referees may be appointed under the competition rules. They must be active
referees of the highest category available.
The competition rules must state the procedure to be followed when a referee is unable to continue,
and whether:
1. the fourth official takes over as the referee, or
2. the senior additional assistant referee takes over as the referee, with the fourth official
becoming an additional assistant referee."
So as I said, there is no excuse for leaving the pitch, however shouldn't we play the game in accordance with the Laws of the Game and Guidelines for Referees ? That was my point in my first comment, and reaction of "impartial observers close to the action" and statement of Terry Evans widow at the ceremony only confirms my view. If AAR was there, maybe we wouldn't have this discussion. Unfortunately your closing description of Sugar Boys ("they are little pissy tail dumb boys!") says more about you, then you would like to admit Cranky.
I have seen goal-line controversy at every level of football - even the world cup - but never had I seen a team walking off the field before the match is done because of decision they don't like.
The Football Administration has allowed the refereeing development to get out of hand - inexperience is more to blame than cheating or bad calls. All of the referees- from top to bottom - don't have the experience to avoid some of the pitfall they get into. I do hope sugar boys receives a heavy fine and points deduction - Let them proof their love for the game.