Accra (Greater Accra), 10th May ?99 --

Referee George Manu from Kumasi had to be escorted by security personnel at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday to prevent officials of Bofoakwa Tano from manhandling him after the premier league match between Accra Great Olympics and Bofoakwa.

The officials were not happy with the decision of the referee in awarding a penalty to Olympics in the 89th minute, which enabled them to beat the visitors 2-1

The officials, led by Mr J. Y. Appiah, chairman of the Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA), who is also a director and Accra representative of Bofoakwa, had to be restrained by the Police as referee Manu was escorted to the dressing room.

Bofoakwa earlier scored the opening goal through Osei Kwame in the 21st minute before Olympics pulled level in the 54th minute, courtesy Wisdom Abbey.

Olympics took the kick-off and nearly found the net in the 13th minute through Laryea Kingston of Satellites fame, but the midfielder's curling shot at goal was dramatically saved by goalkeeper Eric Amponsah of Bofoakwa.

The visitors came strongly into the game and mounted pressure on the rather fragile Olympics defence.

This paid off in the 21st minute when some poor marking at the edge of the penalty area left a loose ball for Osei Kwame to tap into the net.

The goal boosted the confidence of the visitors as they drew rings around their opponents, and Olympics had to resort to rough play, which earned Tahiru Briamah the yellow card for fouling Osei Kwame in the 39th minute.

In the 43rd minute Charles Taylor of Olympics deliberately stamped on a Bofoakwa player, who was lying on the field, but, strangely, the referee, who was close to the scene, allowed him to go unpunished despite protests from Bofoakwa players.

Olympics made two quick changes after the recess. Nana Eshun and Billy Sulley were pulled out for Ben Adjei and Jonathan Abeiku in the 47th and 50th minute.

The substitutions brought some improvement into Olympics' game as they nearly equalised in the 51st minute, but Laryea's shot from Taylor's corner kick went off target.

Three minutes later Olympics came on level terms when Wisdom Abbey connected into the net, a corner kick from the right flank.

After the goal Olympics kept up the pressure, created a lot of goal-scoring chances but squandered them all, with Taylor being the worst culprit.

In the 83rd and 88th minute, for instance, he had only goalkeeper Amponsah to beat, but his first attempt missed the target while he delayed for the ball to be cleared from off his foot in the second attempt.

A minute later Olympics earned the penalty, when Samuel Monnie fell down inside the box, after Nana Gyamfi of Bofoakwa had scooped the ball from his foot.

The referee whistled for a penalty, which caused play to be held up for a few minutes, as the Bofoakwa boys protested and threatened to discontinue with the match.

When play resumed, Nii Noi Dowouna's kick was parried back into play by goalkeeper Amponsah, but his defenders stood ball watching for the ex-Hearts defender to tap in the rebound.

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