I was just about to mention to my assistants how content I was with the fair officiating of our match against Zulu Royals when a highly dangerous play situation developed. Trying to clear a high ball at the moment when Mayo was challenging it, Goldstone, the Zulu Royals central defender, chose to use an over-head 'scissors kick'.

Extremely fortunate, Goldstone's dangerous kick very narrowly missed Mayo's head. My instant reaction was that the referee did not see the incident. I signalled to him through a common gesture meaning "Did you see that"?

He came on the sideline and said to me "Seat down"! At that particular moment I was inside the 'technical area' and by the rule there was nothing wrong for me to be standing. I said to him "OK, tell me then what could have happened if there was a serious head injury"?

There was no abusive language or dissent regarding his decisions. The next thing he d id was to order me to leave the field. During this very brief exchange the fourth official, Walter, was next to us listening and as he relized that the decision of sending me off was unfair insisted that the referee reverses his decision.

The argument between the referee,Jonas Nhlapo and the fourth official was impudent and culminated with the referee shouting at the fourth official "I'm instructing you to take him (me) off! It would be interesting to find out the real reason(s) behind this unjustified referee's action.