A soccer player who lost consciousness following a collision was saved yesterday when a spectator was on hand to give him the breath of life.

But Mr. John Bento, who came forward to help Somerset Eagles player-coach Mr.

Gary Mallory after his pulse stopped, has called for a qualified medical presence at all football games following the drama.

Just 11 minutes into the game at White Hill Field between the Somerset Eagles and League leaders Vasco Da Gama, Eagles' Mr. Mallory jumped to intercept a corner with two players from Vasco.

The ball fell to Vasco player Dwight Basden, who scored to give Vasco a 1-0 lead. Mr. Mallory fell to the ground, apparently the victim of an accidental elbow to the forehead.

He lay motionless in front of the goal for several minutes, reportedly unconscious for a part of this time. Feeling a little stronger, Mr. Mallory stood up, but was unable to remain standing and fell to the ground again.

As a call was placed for an ambulance, Mr. Mallory began to complain of being "freezing cold''. He was covered in a blanket and stretchered off the field to the sidelines.

Mr. Bento, general manager of Holmes, Williams & Purvey and a former soccer referee, took charge of Mr. Mallory's condition as a crowd gathered and the game restarted.

"He lost consciousness,'' said Mr. Bento, and Mr. Mallory's pulse reportedly stopped during this time. Mr. Bento applied CPR and was able to revive Mr.

Mallory. "For a minute, I thought we'd lost him,'' said an unidentified Somerset Eagles' club official.

Moments later, an ambulance arrived and took Mr. Mallory to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital. He was later released.

"One of these days, someone's going to be badly hurt,'' said Mr. Bento, who had decided to attend the soccer game only a few minutes before kick-off. "We need qualified medics at the games.'' Pointing out that the hospital is quite some distance from White Hill Field, Mr. Bento credited the CPR training he received in the Regiment with "probably having saved (Mr. Mallory's) life.'' Mr. Mallory appeared to have cuts to his forehead and the top of his scalp, which several players pointed out "could not have happened as he was jumping upward, so he must have got them on the way down''.

RESCUE RES