A FEMALE referee was left with a concussion after being knocked over in an on-pitch scuffle during a men’s friendly.
French referee Mathilde Demoncay was overseeing a match between Ligue 2 side Metz and Eredivisie outfit Fortuna Sittard.
A female referee suffered a concussion after being knocked to the floor during an on-pitch brawlCredit: X
The scuffle continued despite the referee remaining on the floor Credit: X
Metz were one goal up in the 39th minute of the contest, held at Schlossberg Stadium in France, when things turned ugly.
A Fortuna player appeared to be on the breakaway in the middle of the park when a Metz player latched onto his shirt.
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The attacker continued to try and power away while the opposition star clung on, prompting Demoncay to blow for a foul in favour of Fortuna.
But the punishment did not calm tensions between the pair, with the victim of the foul suddenly grabbing and squaring up to the offending player.
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This prompted a shoving match as a number of players and the officiating team ran over to try and break up the melee.
Footage of the incident shows the referee, 26, being knocked back by the mass of bodies and appearing to strike her head on the ground as she falls.
One Fortuna player immediately noticed when she did not get back up and called for medical personnel, who rushed to the middle of the pitch amid the ongoing hostilities.
Security also arrived to try and regain control of the brawl, which had spread over the pitch but was beginning to calm down.
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Medical staff rushed to the stricken official Credit: X
Thankfully, Demoncay was soon spotted sitting up while talking with medical staff, though reports claim she suffered a concussion.
Once the action had cooled, the players of both teams began to surround the official as she sat to see how she was doing.
She returned to her duties but as an assistant referee for t he rest of the half, before being replaced for the second period.
The match ended 3-1 in favour of Metz.
Demoncay was thankfully able to sit up and talk to medicsCredit: X
