Eric Tinkler points fingers at referee after Sekhukhune United draw

The clash was marred by an unusual incident involving midfielder Thabang Monare, who was instructed to leave the field just six minutes into the game.

Monare was not injured or cautioned but was told to remove his isiphandla - a traditional bracelet that holds cultural significance and is not supposed to be cut off until it naturally falls away.

Monare explained on social media after the match that he had covered the bracelet with tape, as other players have done in the past, but was still ordered to take it off. His refusal left Babina Noko a man down for nearly 14 minutes, during which AmaZulu capitalised and took the lead in the 17th minute.

Unable to resolve the issue, Tinkler was eventually forced into a substitution, withdrawing Monare in the 20th minute for Karabo Tlaka. The coach later expressed his frustration, saying the situation was beyond his control.

"You must ask the referee that question, not me. He must give the answers. There's no point in me talking about it because it won't change anything," Tinkler told iDiski Times.

Despite the disruption, Sekhukhune fought back strongly and earned a draw, but Tinkler insisted they deserved more. He highlighted another contentious moment when the referee awarded a free kick for handball instead of a penalty.

"That was in the box. It should have been a penalty. For me, the result is not fair. We deserved three points today (Wednesday) and two points were taken away from us, not by AmaZulu," he said.

Although Sekhukhune remain unbeaten and top of the table, Tinkler made it clear he felt aggrieved by the officiating. However, he also acknowledged that continuing to criticise referees would only land him in hot water.

"I can't say much. If I do, I get fined. I've been there, done that, and the outcome is always the same," he added.