with coach Ashton Thomas which led to the abandonment of the Commercial match with Devonshire Lions on Saturday.

Dailey insisted yesterday he did not attack his coach when he was about to be substituted prior to the start of the second half. He claimed Thomas attacked him first as he came over to take his jersey from him.

Dailey said words were exchanged between the two when Thomas tried to replace him with goalkeeper Bim Bedamosi who arrived at the game late. Dailey, who says he was having a good game, expressed his displeasure, pointing out that Kevin Isaac, who was to come out of goal, was carrying an injury.

"I said `this is not right, I'm not coming off, another guy is injured','' Dailey explained.

"He said `I'll come and take my jersey off you' and I said `you'll have to do that' and he came on the field and gripped me and that's when I reacted.

That's when everybody else jumped in to try to stop it from going any further.'' Dailey said others started to converge on the field as the scuffle began, including his sister, who he claimed was slapped by the coach.

"I don't know what my sister did but he reached over and slapped her and I saw it with my own two eyes and that's what triggered me off and I went at him,'' said Dailey, who later went to his car and got a golf club.

"I've played for Somerset and Devonshire Cougars and I'm not known for that.

One of the team members held me from behind while the coach punched me in my face.'' Dailey said he thought the substitution may have had something to do with the fact that he hasn't paid his membership dues.

"It's the second time he has done this (substitution) because I haven't paid my dues,'' said Dailey.

"I told him I didn't have the money but that he would get the dues. I'm one of the best players in the side and some of the other players even said `why are you taking Chris off, take somebody else off'.

"I feel it's a personal thing and other guys even said he must `have something personal against you.'' Referee Glynn Gilbert abandoned the match with the teams level at 1-1.