A young referee was reduced to tears after being confronted by managers during a junior football match.

The 16-year-old official was allegedly verbally abused after sending off a Deeping United player during their under-11s match against Peterborough Polonia at the Nene Valley Community Centre in Woodston, Cambridgeshire on Sunday, March 24.

The incident has been referred to the Lincolnshire FA, who, along with the Peterborough Junior Alliance League, are set to investigate.

Peterborough Junior Alliance League chairman David Burgess was at the match and witnessed what happened.

He told Peterborough Today : “It was 1-1, there was three minutes to go and the referee gave a Deeping United player a yellow card for kicking the ball away.

“When that player was asked for his name by the referee he refused to give it so the referee quite rightly gave him a red card. That’s when it all kicked off.

“The Deeping United managers lost their cool. They came onto the pitch and confronted the referee and upset him. He had a few tears and walked off.

“I went over and had a word with him and he completed the game which was decided on a penalty shoot-out, which Polonia won 4-2.

“The young referee was having a very good game and did everything correctly. The Deeping United managers, who the referee had twice spoken to earlier in the game, were totally at fault.

“Their chairman was there watching and he was disgusted with their behaviour.”

Deeping United have released a statement, promising to work with the Lincs FA and Junior Alliance League as they investigate the incident.

The statement said: “In light of the current circumstances surrounding the incidents which occurred during a football match involving one of our teams, we as a club want to stress that we do not condone the alleged behaviour from anyone within the club.

“We can assure you that the club will be working with the junior alliance and the county FA to fully investigate the incident and the appropriate action will take place.”