FIFA ref Morrison challenges Clarendon footballers

Richard Bryan, Freelance Writer

Footballers in Clarendon have been asked to get involved in curbing the indiscipline that plagues the sport and the country.

The call was made by FIFA and Clarendon-based referee Kevin Morrison at a specially arranged season-ending presentation for the popular Peter Lindsay Memorial Eight-a-side Football Competition earlier this week.

It was made against the background of an unfortunate incident which took place at the final between eventual champions Vietnam Alliance and Fresh Stars, where the latter's captain was alleged to have assaulted the referee after the game. The incident prompted president of the Jamaica Football Referees Association, Winston Delahaye, who was there as a special guest, to forgo his planned speech.

Great opportunity

Morrison told the audience at Sunday's presentation: "We believe that sport can help reduce the tensions that breed crime. As footballers you have a great opportunity to show the people in your community that the game can bring people together - not incite them (to violence). You should take a stand against what happened during the final and, unfortunately, after it."

The expectations for a great final had been laid after weeks of exciting football, but the game took an ill-tempered pattern after Fresh Stars hotly disputed the referee's call for a penalty. Things reached boiling point when the Fresh Stars captain was sent off for a second infringement.

Vietnam Alliance eventually won 2-0, courtesy of goals by Owen 'Bam Bam' Gordon, a player who represented National Premier League team Sporting Central, and Lemar Campbell, who previously represented Lennon High.

Earlier, defending champions Webblanders won the third-place battle against Original Hazard on penalties after both teams had battled to a 1-1 regulation scoreline.