A man has admitted invading the pitch and beating up a football fan at a match between arch rivals AFC Wimbledon and MK Dons.

Ben Hearn, of Tonstall Road, Epsom, may face a banning order after pleading guilty to assaulting John Ward at the MK Dons stadium in Milton Keynes on August 12.

He also pleaded guilty to going on the playing area at a football match that day. MK Dons won 3-1 and knocked AFC Wimbledon out of the League Cup.

House of Payne column from Aug 12: AFC Wimbledon get a kicking when they're down

The teams are bitter rivals and the BBC reported that some AFC Wimbledon fans ran onto the pitch after their late consolation goal.

On Friday Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court sentenced Hearn to 120 hours of unpaid community work and ordered him to pay £50 to Mr Ward who comes from Milton Keynes.

He must pay a victim surcharge of £60 as well as £40 in costs to the Crown Prosecution Service.

The court also adjourned proceedings to November 28 when it will consider making a football banning order.