Soccer punched: Player beats up ref

A Sunday morning soccer match turned ugly when one hot-headed player clocked the referee.

Police responded to Danehy Park at 99 Sherman St. June 10 at 8:55 a.m. for reports of an assault and battery. When he arrived at the field, Police Officer Glenn Marshall found a 27-year-old soccer referee with a swollen mouth and face.

The referee, who is from East Boston, told one 31-year-old player from Everett he could not play in the game unless he removed a ring from his finger, according to police reports. The suspect refused to remove the ring and he and his brother punched the referee in the face, the referee told police.

One witness told police the suspect had also assaulted a referee about two weeks earlier at another game at Danehy Park.