A village footballer has been ordered to pay £1,500 compensation to a rival player after he broke his jaw in an on-field bust-up.

Matthew Atkin lost his temper with victim Neil Last during the tetchy derby between his Ipplepen Athletic and rivals Kingskerswell and Chelston FC in March last year.

There had been obscenities exchanged between the two players before Atkin felled the other man with a single punch which left him with blood pouring from his mouth.

Atkin is now facing a possible life ban from the game after he admitted the attack when he appeared at Exeter Crown Court.

Turbine engineer Atkin, aged 23, of Newton Road, Coombeinteignhead, admitted causing actual bodily harm and was ordered to do 15 hours’ unpaid community work and pay £1,500 compensation by Judge Geoffrey Mercer, QC.

He told him: ‘You punched your victim in the face in temper and broke his jaw. That has had a substantial effect on him. The fact it happened in a football match does not make it any less serious.

‘I accept it was entirely out of character and that you are a decent, hard working young man with good employment and with a future ahead of you.’

Mr Michael Brown, prosecuting, said the league match took place at Kingskerwell’s ground on March 5, 2016 and there had been ’football banter’ between the two players, who already knew each other.

He said: ‘The banter had involved insults and Atkin threatened he was going to do him. We accept the insults were going both ways. Atkin accepts some of the comments got to him.

‘There was a brief period when play was halted and when it was resumed Atkin accepts he had a momentary loss of temper and control and struck Mr Last with a clenched fist.

‘It caused him to fall to the floor and when he got to his feet he was in pain and discomfort and had blood dripping from his mouth.’

He was diagnosed with a fractured jaw at Torbay Hospital and was off work for two weeks.

Mr Paul Dentith, defending, asked the judge to take note of a probation report which said Atkin has never been in trouble before and suggested he was acting out of character.

The report said Atkin is an electrical engineer with a turbine company who works on projects all over Europe.

Mr Dentith said this incident is likely to put an end to Atkin’s career as an amateur footballer. He said: ‘He has played at almost a semi-professional level but his plea in this case is likely to end his football career. The FA will have to make an adjudication.’

The game in Division One of the South Devon League ended with Ipplepen winning 3-5.