A PLAYER has been cleared of assaulting the captain of an opposing team in a friendly football game.

Dean Allert, 28, was unanimously found not guilty by a jury at Leeds Crown Court yesterday of unlawfully wounding Christopher Churm on September 1 last year.

Allert, of Daw Royds, Almondbury, who was playing for Newsome FC in the game at Scholes, told the jury: “Thank you so much” as he left the dock.

Mr Churm was the captain of Scholes who had made a foul tackle on Allert during the second half of the game which led to Allert briefly squaring up to him.

Allert was then substituted and watched from the sidelines. Later there was an incident involving two different players which led to a melee.

Allert told the jury he went on to “try and diffuse the situation” and saw Mr Churm running towards the group.

Allert said: “We kind of confronted each other again. We were pushing and shoving each other, we both had fists raised towards each other and we were kind of like dancing with each other.”

He said he lost his balance because the field was not even and saw a hand come over his shoulder which punched Mr Churm in the face.

“I said to him I didn’t do that to you mate. I wouldn’t have done that to him.”

Mr Churm said he was punched in the face from behind by somebody he did not see, the blow caused his bottom teeth to go through his lip requiring stitches. He also had a broken tooth.