For the second time in a week a match official has come under physical attack -- and another club could find themselves subjected to a boycott by the Bermuda Referees Association.

BRA president Stuart Crockwell will tomorrow night assemble his executive to look into the latest report of a referee under siege.

Allan Pearmain was punched and kicked at the conclusion of Sunday's Second Division match at Somerset Cricket Club involving Somerset Trojans and neighbours Somerset Eagles.

The incident follows a November 17 match in which referee Leroy Wilson was attacked by a BAA player.

Crockwell said that his organisation are determined to eradicate episodes of this nature and will take whatever steps deemed necessary by his committee. He did not rule out a boycott of the west end club, from whom he is demanding a detailed report of Sunday's events.

"We're not going to tolerate this,'' said Crockwell, whose association is already suffering from a shortage of officials. "I think it's total disrespect to referees who are out there giving their time to aid in the development of football in Bermuda.

"All it's doing is telling referees `please come out and referee and the fans and footballers will treat you to verbal and physical abuse afterwards'.

That's not a good foundation to build on and get people to come out and referee for the association.

"Clubs really need to get serious in protecting referees and what happened at Somerset we will not tolerate and we definitely will look into introducing the same sort of action that was given to BAA.'' In a report sent to the Bermuda Football Association, Pearmain alleges that he was "jostled by several of the Somerset Bridge players'' immediately following the final whistle and while being assisted back to the changing room was struck on the shoulder, left ear and kicked in the rear.

The first blow was believed to have come from a spectator, the second and third were said to have been by a player. The turn of events came as Somerset -- trailing 1-0 deep in the second half -- were awarded a controversial penalty.

Veteran Trojans' striker Everett Wellman was seen to kick goal-keeper Ricky Tucker during a late attacking foray to which Tucker responded by displaying a clenched fist. Pearmain, seeing the latter gesture, immediately pointed at the penalty spot -- to vociferous protest from Eagles -- and Duane Deroza converted, levelling the score at 1-1.

Moments later Eagles coach Kenny Thompson entered the pitch to attend an injured player, but was shown first the yellow and then red card for continuing to remonstrate the earlier call.

In his report Pearmain accused Thompson of inciting violence by using statements to the effect that "he wouldn't blame the players if I (Pearmain) was lynched at the end of the game''.

Thompson yesterday offered a letter of apology for his actions.

"Having never before been ejected in a football match of any kind is a distinction I carried with enormous pride and that distinction is now lost forever,'' Thompson, a former Bermuda national team player, wrote.

"My ejection occurred as a leader of a programme, which makes my behaviour that much more irresponsible.

"Therefore, I wish to apologise to all players for failing to lead under more responsible emotional control. I also wish to apologise to the referee for making an already difficult job more difficult by having too much to say and leaving him with no option but to eject me, thus causing others' already high emotions to boil over...''