A SUNDAY league footballer who killed an opponent with one punch during a post-game argument has been jailed for 28 months.

An early morning game of football at Little Harlington Playing Fields, in Sipson Lane, turned into a crime scene last November, with forensic experts picking up the pieces of an after-match brawl.

Darren Forwood, 21, of Frays Avenue, West Drayton, was sentenced at the Old Bailey on Monday after pleading guilty to the manslaughter of Stephen Ritchie, 43, from Brentford.

Mr Ritchie, a father of three and a grandfather, was playing for Old Greenfordians, who beat rivals Kingshill Town 4-3 in the Hayes and District Sunday Football League.

The Kingshill side, of which Forwood was a member, were 3-0 up, but trouble flared as Old Greenfordians mounted a comeback in the second half. Forwood was given a yellow card for a bad tackle and Mr Ritchie was sent off for pushing.

Prosecutor Timothy Gray told The Old Bailey that after the match, Kingshill play-ers, unhappy at the defeat, made Mr Ritchie the focus of their anger, and his team mates had to form a human shield around him.

Despite their efforts, Forwood was able to reach him and floored Mr Ritchie with one punch, hitting him so hard that his head twisted round and arteries were ruptured as he hit the ground.

Emergency services were called to the scene but Mr Ritchie had stopped breathing by time they arrived.

Mr Ritchie was described as a 'loving family man' by his two daughters, wife and mother in a family statement read to the court.

His daughter broke down crying in court last month as Forwood pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

Forwood had previous convictions of common assault and affray.

Mr Gray described Mr Ritchie, who had recently become a grandfather, as 'utterly defenceless'.

Judge Jeremy Roberts said: "There is too much of this type of violence around. It has to be made clear that people who behave in this way will receive severe sentences."