hospital during a day of soccer violence yesterday.

Dwight Basden, a striker for league champions Vasco, was in a stable condition last night after being punched and kicked in the head by two brothers playing for Devonshire Cougars.

Wendell Swan, who punched him repeatedly, and Ryan Swan, who dished out the kicks, were sent off in Cougars' 3-0 defeat at BAA field.

Cougars finished the match with eight men after Gavin Butterfield was also dismissed for kicking wildly at Earl Richardson in a bizarre bid to get himself sent off when his manager refused to substitute him.

Match referee Leroy Wilson described the violence as: "The worst thing I have seen in 10 years as a referee.'' But tempers also flared in Wolves' 3-1 win over Hamilton Parish at Devonshire Rec, where three more players were sent off.

Parish's Chris Caisey was sent off by referee Anthony Mouchette for a bad foul and had to be restrained by his teammates before leaving the pitch.

Then Wolves' Keemo Smith was red-carded for hitting Parish's Leon Raynor, also sent off for his part in the scuffle.

For more see Sport, Page 23 .