An angry football player attacked a referee after he was ordered off the pitch during an amateur match.

Darren Brown, 27, of Windsor Road, Worcester Park, pulled Peter Forshaw, of Eltham and kicked him in the arm during the Catford Power League game in September.

Mr Brown sought revenge on Mr Forshaw after he was sent off for an infringement on the pitch in Canadian Avenue, Lewisham, when his team, the Wandsworth Borough, were playing RBS.

Robert Brown, prosecuting, said Mr Brown was “extremely angry and agitated and he had to be persuaded to leave by other members of his team”.

He said: “He [Brown] threw a water bottle at the referee, who decided to abandon the match.

“Brown approached the referee and told him not to stop the match because of him.

“He grabbed Mr Forshaw and pulled him to the ground. Mr Forshaw felt a kick to his left forearm... and he had a sore neck.”

Mr Brown was arrested five days later and police found a small amount of cannabis was found in an ash tray at his home.

Guy Dilliway-Parry, defending, said the assault happened because Brown had felt ashamed at being responsible for spoiling the match.

He disputed that Mr Brown, who has several previous convictions and was in breach of a suspended sentence for having drugs and a prohibited weapon, kicked the referee.

At Croydon Crown Court on Friday Mr Brown pleaded guilty to common assault and possession of cannabis found by police at his home.

He was handed a 12 month supervision order and was ordered to pay £50 compensation to his victim.

Recorder Connell said: “Your behaviour was quite shameful.

“You must know only too well that amateur football is dependant on people being prepared to referee lower level games without interference from players or spectators.”

Sutton Referees Society vice chairman David Laughton, of Norbury, said attacks on referees were rare.

He said: “Players and supporters have a responsibility to control their temper, but referees also needed to learn how to diffuse aggressive situations.

“Attacks are once in a blue moon, but I have seen a few: I once saw a player lose the plot and chase the referee to his car.”