Goalkeeper's attacker is jailed

Simon Royce was attacked at the game at Stoke's Britannia Stadium

A Staffs football fan who ran onto the pitch and punched a goalkeeper during a match has been jailed for four months.

Martin Andrew Wilson, 19, of Blurton, Stoke-on-Trent, admitted attacking Queens Park Rangers keeper Simon Royce.

Daniel White, prosecuting, said Wilson ran into the QPR goal area as the bad-tempered game was ending.

As Royce lent over to pick up a bottle off the pitch, Wilson jumped on his back and punched him on the neck leaving him with a lump and bruising.

QPR beat Stoke City 2-1 at the Britannia Stadium on 3 December.

Hamish Noble, defending, claimed Royce had provoked sections of the Stoke fans who had already become rowdy following the sending off of one of their players and the awarding of a controversial penalty to QPR.

He added that while Royce's provocation was "not an excuse, it was an explanation".

District Judge John Stobart, at Stoke-on-Trent Magistrates' Court, sentenced Wilson to 120 days for common assault and banned him from attending all league and international football matches for three years.