Hanover Park hit back at allegations
Park hit back at allegations
Posted: 2010-02-17 14:58
Rumours doing the rounds in Cape soccer claiming that Hanover Park threw their game against Vasco Da Gama have been categorically denied by coach Andre Alexander.
It has emerged to KickOff.com recently that within the four Cape Town First Division teams, there are ‘two separate camps', with Vasco and Hanover Park enjoying good relations, and Ikapa Sporting and FC Cape Town pairing together on the other side of the fence.
Going into the final day's Coastal First Division action, Vasco needed three points against Hanover Park to ensure they finished top of the log.
Second-from-bottom Hanover Park were also not yet safe from relegation – victory for Ikapa over FC Cape Town, coupled with defeat for Park would have seen them finishing in last position.
In the end Vasco triumphed 2-1 over Park, while Ikapa conceded a late equaliser against FC Cape Town to condemn them to the Second Division.
"I categorically deny that any of my players were involved in any sort of match fixing or deliberately played below par," Park coach Andre Alexander tells KickOff.com of the allegations levelled at some of his players.
"Going into this match we prepared as hard as we have for the last seven games since I have been in charge – it was not in our interests to lose this game – if we did and Ikapa scored one goal against FC Cape Town, we would have been relegated." (The teams would have finished level on points, but Ikapa would have enjoyed a superior goal difference.)
Alexander continues: "In fact, in the week ahead of the game there were all kinds of rumours, including that Ikapa were ‘guaranteed' the points against FC Cape Town.
"But we chose to ignore this talk and before the game our target was to go for the three points. We hoped to get an early goal so that Vasco would push forward for an equaliser and we could get them on the counter, but unfortunately it happened the other way round.
"I'll admit that we were not at our best on the day, I don't think either side was, but that was purely due to nerves, with so much at stake on the day. And there were 3000 people at that game, who I'm sure will back me up in saying it was a fairly-contested side by both teams," Alexander adds.
KickOff .com was at the Wynberg Military field for the game and witnessed the goals first hand.
Vasco's goals were scored by Bradley August, who used his height advantage to power home an early header from a corner kick, while just after the hour mark Geoffrey Serunkuma slotted home from close range after a counter-attack had lead to Robbie Santo's shot being parried by Park goal keeper Gary Jassman.
Hanover's goal came deep in injury time, Simphiwe Phama netting after a goal-mouth scramble.
Earlier in the second half Vasco keeper Posnet Omony had kept his side in the game with a superb double save from Clinton Emmanuel.
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