A Footballer has denied attacking a linesman who disallowed his team's last minute equaliser in a cup match.

Keith Boniface said he would never touch an official because he knew it would result in a life ban from the game he loves playing.

Boniface, central defender for Handcross, told a jury at Hove Crown Court he always accepted decisions made by officials because he knew they would never change their minds.

Boniface, 37, denied pushing linesman Tony Eke, who was also manager of the away team Old Varndeanians, to the ground and then punching and kicking him after he signalled offside.

The two sides met during the quarter final of the Mid Sussex League's Montgomery Cup on St Valentine's Day last year.

Old Varndeanians were leading 1-0 with just minutes to go when Handcross were awarded a free kick.

The home team scored after Varndeanians goalkeeper Sean Davies failed to hold on to a shot by Handcross striker Ryan Clinker.

Referee David Ellmer disallowed the goal after Mr Eke flagged for offside. The court heard that Ryan Clinker was incensed by the decision and was sent off after he pushed Mr Eke to the ground.

The referee blew his whistle for full time moments after the game restarted.

Boniface said he was substituted with 15 minutes to go because of a hamstring injury but had stayed on the touchline to watch the game.

He said after the final whistle he had gone on to the pitch to congratulate the other side and to ask Mr Eke who he thought was offside.

Boniface said: "He was laughing a smirking so I called him a cheating b*****d because I believed that nobody was offside and he had cheated."

Boniface, a civil engineer, said the linesman raised his flag and slapped him on the hand with it as he lifted his arm to ward it off.

He said: "A split second later the linesman had fallen to the ground and I realised that he was trying to get me into trouble with the referee.

"I did not push him or punch him or kick him. I stamped twice on the ground and shouted at him."

Michael Butler, Handcross head coach, said in a statement read to the jury that he saw the linesman raise his flag at Boniface during the incident, adding: "I did not see Keith Boniface strike the linesman at all."

Conrad de Jong told the jury he had known Boniface for eight years and described him as a pillar of the community in Handcross.

He said: "He is an easy-going person and I have never known him to lose his temper."

Boniface, of Brighton Road, Handcross, denies causing actual bodily harm to Mr Eke, who suffered a fractured thumb and cuts to his head in the incident.

The trial continues.