Swan, the Cougars striker he sent off for kicking grounded Vasco opponent Dwight Basden in the head.

Wilson said after yesterday's ill-tempered clash: "I have been a referee for 10 years and that is the worst incident I have seen.

"Ryan Swan kicked Dwight three times, twice in the face and once in the back of the head. He could have killed the player. This could be a police matter.

"And when it happened the Cougars substitutes ran on the pitch. Why did they do that? They had no discipline.

"I could see it coming. Cougars were not organised, not disciplined. They had been looking for help from the officials from the start instead of concentrating on the football.

"But at the end, some of the Cougars players came up to me and apologised.'' Wilson also sent off two other Cougars players, Wendell Swan for attacking Basden and Galvin Butterfield for kicking Earl Richardson.

Cougars player/coach Shawn Smith struggled to explain the bizarre actions of his three shamed team-mates.

"I can't speak for Ryan's actions,'' he said as he came off the field.

"Early in the game we got a few decisions against us and I suppose that was what might have started it, but we should have reacted in a more mature way.

There will be some sort of disciplinary action against the players, whether it comes from the club or the BFA, but that all depends on the referee's report.'' Assistant referees Tracy Adams and Anthony Wilson were appalled at what they had seen.

Adams said: "That is the sort of behaviour which drives the fans away. The problem is the attitude of the players and it's not just a problem with Cougars.'' Wilson, in his first year of officiating at First Division games, said: "When you're a newcomer, that sort of thing is a real turn-off. Sometimes we don't feel safe and we fear we could be attacked. We need protection. What could we have done if they had turned on us today?''