player was rushed to hospital following a punch-up at an FA Cup semi-final clash.

Vasco striker Dwight Basden -- who was knocked unconscious -- was taken to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital after an alleged assault on him by North Village sports committee chairman Sherwin Dill just outside the Red Devils' dressing room.

And last night Bermuda Football Association representatives and club officials united to blast incidents which bring the game into disrepute.

Mr. Dill was arrested by Task Force officers called to the scene after referee Stuart Crockwell -- the Police Inspector in charge of the force's mobile trouble-shooters -- blew the whistle on the game with minutes remaining.

Last night a Police spokesman appealed for witnesses and confirmed a man had been arrested and interviewed by Police in connection with an incident at the game.

A hospital spokeswoman said that Mr. Basden was under observation in the emergency department, but added that he was unlikely to be detained overnight.

The mini-riot was sparked off after North Village's Cal Dill Jr. was head-butted by Vasco's Keith Jennings just after Jennings was fouled by opponent Daniel Jennings in the dying seconds of the match.

Other players piled in as Mr. Crockwell red-carded Dill and Keith Jennings.

And a series of running battles broke out as fans' tempers boiled over following the pitch incident and the ugly aftermath.

Mr. Crockwell abandoned the game with two minutes left to play and the on-pitch conflict spilled over the touchline and into the North Village dressing room at the neutral White Hill Field ground in Sandys Parish.

Basden -- apparently struck from behind by a female North Village fan as he made his way to the dressing room -- swung his leg around, hitting the woman.

The woman was last night said to be the fiancee of Sherwin Dill's son Maceo, the North Village manager.

Sherwin Dill allegedly followed Basden to the dressing room and hit him as he left after changing.

Last night Bermuda Football Association president Neville Tyrell said he could not comment on the incident until he got reports from match and club officials.

But he added: "These incidents are ruining the good name of the sport and all the hard work we putting in.

"It's not helping at all -- but these things do happen and we just have to pick up the pieces and get on with it.'' Vasco manager John Rebello said: "It was just a sorry sight for football -- in all of the madness which happened, the one thing which suffered most is football. And it's just going to keep fans away from the game.'' And he added that he hoped the 2-0 scoreline in favour of his side would be allowed to stand.

Kenneth Simmons -- president of the Somerset Bridge club, which operates White Hill field -- condemned the latest incident in a series to damage the image of the game.

"We are trying to stop these kind of attacks -- but it's just getting worse.'' And he called for anyone involved in soccer violence to be banned from every sports ground in the Country.

Mr. Simmons said: "The offenders -- once they are proven guilty of something -- they should be banned from all fields. It's the only way I can see.

"We should take the right to see sports away from them at any venue.'' FA Cup chaos: Sport, Page 21 SOCCER SOC