Skipper Burton pleads for decent refs

By Rodney Reiners

Desperately needed: strong, fair and fit match officials.

That is an advertisement Santos captain Edries Burton would like to place in the reading literature of South Africa's Premier League soccer administrators.

Santos take on log leaders Supersport United at Athlone on Saturday night - and Burton is hoping for a better and fairer shake from the match officials this evening.

"I don't really like complaining about referees and linesmen," said Burton. "But in the last three matches we have been involved in, I have experienced some of the worst refereeing of my long career."

Burton, who will be 34 next month, has played more than 300 games for Santos, 74 games for Cape Town Spurs and 92 for AmaZulu.

Santos lost 1-0 to Bush Bucks in East London in midweek and Burton says the officiating was atrocious and one-sided.

"It is something the PSL will have to look at again," he said. "There was a period when it seemed that refereeing had started to get better, but it's on a downward spiral again."

As for tonight, Burton was looking forward to an entertaining match.

"Like us, Supersport are a good footballing team," he said. "So they will allow us greater freedom on the ball. That should make for an open, attractive match.

"We have not played too badly of late... results just haven't been going our way. We have let ourselves down in front of goal. I'm positive that once the focus in the opposing penalty area returns, the goals and points will come."

United's last visit to Cape Town at the start of the season, ended in a 2-0 win over Ajax

Teams:

Santos: Andre Arendse, Innocent Mayoyo, Edries Burton, John Mbidzo, Musa Otieno, Tebogo Tsiu, Tyren Arendse, Vincent Sokhela, David Mabeta, Mxolisi Mchunu, Jonathan Solomons, Patrick Twala, Jean-Marc Ithier, David Notoane, Thokozani Xaba, Fees Moloi, Ricardo Mannetti, Kamaal Sait, Marawaan Bantam, Jeremy Jansen, Fadlu Davids

Supersport: Grant Johnson, Arthur Baartman, Themba Mnguni, Kaitano Tembo, Japie Motale, Phil Evans, Peter Khoabane, Thomas Madigage, Rufus Mokoti, Seuntjie Motlhajwa, Bheki Nkambule, Emmanuel Zulu, Raymond Seopa, Mandla Zwane, Cavann Sibeko, Thando Mngomeni, Patrick Mayo, Pitso Lekone