Ref sees red after issuing a black eye

Minor league footballer Ng Wai-man - banned this week for five years after attacking a referee last month - ought to be grateful that the man in black officiating in Shek Kip Mei's match against Hi Lee was not Melvin Sylvester.

English referee Sylvester found himself making headlines around the world after a bizarre incident in an amateur game in south London where he ended up sending himself off.

Sylvester, 42, lost his cool after being verbally abused by players during the match in Charlton. The harassed official snapped and attacked a 27-year-old player, giving him a black eye.

After other players intervened to calm him down, Sylvester pulled out his red card and sent himself for an early bath, handing the game over to a substitute.

He has now said he will never run a football match again.

'I was sorely provoked,' he said. 'I just could not take any more - I blew my top.' On the subject of provoking . . . it seems Hong Kong footballer Dale Tempest got more than he asked for during last week's Dynasty Cup tie against Japan in Yokohama.

Tempest, who scored a superb poacher's goal to level the score at 1-1 midway through the first half, then play-acted to the home crowd behind the Japanese 'keeper's goal by cupping his ears David Beckham-style as if to say, 'I can't hear you'.