Women's soccer game ends in brawl

Hair was pulled out and punches thrown when a women's football match being refereed by a policeman turned into a brawl in Katikati.

The fight erupted during a game between Katikati and Maungatapu-based Rangataua Patriots.

Police have released details of the May 8 incident in the hope it will help them find witnesses who caught the violence on camera.

Senior Constable John Fitzgerald of Katikati police said a member of the Katikati women's team was injured.

"I think she suffered some delayed concussion and had some hair ripped out and some bruises around the face," he said.

"She received some punches around the face and head. She had quite a bit of bruising around her body as well. It was a bit over the top."

Mr Fitzgerald said the game was a social Sunday afternoon match.

"My understanding was one of the opposing players took offence to the way she'd been tackled and threw some punches," he said.

"It ended up being probably half of both teams involved."

Mr Fitzgerald was refereeing at the time but said he was following the play in a different area of the field when the brawl started about 20 minutes into the match.

The Katikati team ranged in age from 18 to 50 and it was one of the younger players who was the victim of the attack, he said.

"We haven't actually been able to identify the Rangataua player that was involved in it."

Mr Fitzgerald said the victim had not laid a complaint with police but had indicated that she would do so.

During the 1.30pm game there were eight to 10 people on each opposing sideline, but some of these were substitute players.

"There's a bit of blame from both sides. There's not a lot of independent witnesses," Mr Fitzgerald said.

The game was called off following the incident.

Katikati Football Club president Sean Carnachan said the matter was being dealt with by the women's league in accordance with the NZ Football code of conduct.

"The women's league is dealing with it. They're taking the disciplinary actions required."

Mr Carnachan said the league, including about eight teams across the Western Bay, wanted to ensure this sort of thing did not happen again.

"At the end of the day, it's a rare occurrence."

- APN