A FOOTBALLER suffered a suspected fractured skull when he was headbutted bythe opposition's captain during a bad-tempered match on Teesside.

But a court heard that the victim, Ben Hunt, was not as badly hurt as was first feared, and spent only one day in hospital for X-rays and scans following the attack.

Rival player Gary Morris appeared in court yesterday to be sentenced after he admitted a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The 30-year-old was told he was being spared jail because of his previous good character and because the attack was out of character.

Teesside Crown Court heard how tempers flared during a match between Eston Villa and Grangetown St Mary's at the Netherfields pitches, on December 5, 2004.

Morris, the captain of St Mary's, was said to have been elbowed by Mr Hunt before squaring up to him and headbutting him.

Judge Peter Armstrong told Morris: "I accept that in the heat of battle on the football field, tempers can get frayed, particularly in tense or needle matches when there is foul play, perhaps, on both sides.

"But as captain, you should have been responsible for keeping a level head, and clearly what happened on this occasion you were overcome by what you saw as provocation and lost your temper and decided to take it out on Ben Hunt.

"As far as I am aware, he has made a completely full recovery from this. It is fortunate for you that his injuries were not more serious or you would no doubt have been suffering a more serious penalty."

Father-of-one Morris, of Raydale Beck, Ingleby Barwick, near Stockton, was fined £300 and ordered to pay £200 costs and £500 compensation to Mr Hunt.

Jonathan Walker, mitigating, said Morris was usually a calming influence on his team-mates and had a good disciplinary record, but reacted badly to being struck.

"Without wishing to be critical of the complainant in any way, there was a degree of provocation," said Mr Walker. "The defendant was clearly elbowed by the same player.

"It was a fiery match in which there had been altercations and the defendant squared up to the complainant and unhappily over-reacted."