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SCMP Reporter

Crisis club Tuen Mun Progoal incurred the wrath of the Football Association yesterday by 'invading' the pitch with a banner after winning a First Division match at Mong Kok Stadium.
Already under investigation by the ICAC for alleged match-fixing, Progoal players defied FA orders by unfurling a banner saying 'we play with dignity' in front of 1,022 fans. Progoal had just beaten Mutual 2-1 in the Coolpoint Ventilation league match.
'We knew they had brought it [the banner] to the stadium and warned them  that they were not allowed to take it on to the pitch,' said  FA deputy general secretary Lam Shing-kui. 'But they ignored us. Pitch intrusion is a very serious issue  and we will  take the matter to the disciplinary committee for appropriate action.'
Progoal director Yam Wai-hung defended their action, saying they had a point to prove after being accused of match-fixing in media reports in the past week.
'We know we will be fined by the FA for taking the banner on to the pitch,' said Yam. 'But the players have been under great pressure and wanted to tell the fans that they had  resolved all the internal differences and play with  dignity.
'It was tough to win under  such unfavourable conditions and all  credit should go the players,' added Yam. 
Progoal  became the most talked about club in town after capitulating to a 5-1 defeat to Happy Valley in the league  11 days ago.
 Captain Cheung Tin-tak wrote in his blog the following day that his mainland teammates had failed to give their best, causing them to concede four goals in the last seven minutes. Semi-professional Cheung,  a teacher by day, accused the mainlanders of playing for '$$$$$$$$$$$$$' and  quit the team.
On Monday, the FA  called in the graft-busters  to help investigate whether there was evidence of match-fixing. A source close to the association said yesterday the authorities had already started their investigation.
 The club on Thursday said it had found no evidence to support allegations some of its players threw the match. A 12-page report suggested the players suffered a 'spiritual breakdown' after one  of them was sent off by the referee.
Cheung did not turn up for the match yesterday, but his number eight jersey  was on display in Progoal's bench. 
'We want to show he [Cheung] is still with us,' said Chau Wai-ming, who took over the captaincy. 'He is a good player and we want  him to rejoin the team.'
Chau, however, said he had  no idea of Cheung's whereabouts. But  he was delighted with the team's performance, saying they had improved  greatly on their disastrous showing against Valley.
'We put all the accusations behind us and were focused from the first minute,' he said. 'We made little mistakes  but were able to hang in there.  We are  confident we can win the relegation battle and  put on better performances in our remaining matches.'
Expatriate Tunde Olokigbe put Progoal  ahead with a thunderbolt in the 33rd minute and mainlander Zhao Wei, one of the  players accused by Cheung of failing to give his best,  added the second three minutes from time. Mutual's Leung Tsz-chun scored a consolation in stoppage time. 
Progoal are third from bottom on 11 points, one place above the relegation zone. They have four games left and are six points ahead of Mutual, while bottom team Xiangxui Eisiti  are on four points.
In another match yesterday, Citizen scored a 3-1 win over Fourway.



Progoal under fire for pitch 'invasion'