Police call in FA over Cole 'punch'

Hammers' captain and Brevett reported as the forlorn fight against relegation boils over into post-match fracas

Joe Cole faces the possibility of police action after tempers frayed at the end of West Ham United's 1-0 defeat by Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium, which left the Hammers facing relegation from the Premiership.

Greater Manchester Police want the Football Association to look into the behaviour of West Ham's captain as well as their defender Rufus Brevett after issuing a statement last night in which they suggested Cole, an England midfielder, threw a punch at Bolton's Bernard Mendy and then caused damage in the tunnel, and that Brevett had "an altercation" with a police officer.

Trouble started after the West Ham defender Ian Pearce was sent off for scything down Pierre-Yves André in the last minute of a match that condemned West Bromwich Albion to relegation with Sunderland, who they beat 2-1 yesterday, and established West Ham as firm favourites for the third relegation place. After the final whistle there was a fracas between rival players and police pursued the departing teams into the tunnel.

Superintendent Alan Greene, the commander of police operations at the match, spoke to the referee, Uriah Rennie, after the game. Greene said: "I will be forwarding a report to the FA about the behaviour of some of the West Ham players after the match and await their response."

A statement released by Greater Manchester Police detailed the allegations. "We are reporting that a number of incidents took place after the game involving Joe Cole apparently punching Bernard Mendy, Cole kicking out and damaging the tunnel and Rufus Brevett, who had an altercation with a police officer."

Even though the police have initially put the matter in the FA's hands, they have not ruled out taking action themselves over the incidents, which brought an unsavoury end to a match that was memorable for the goal with which Jay-Jay Okocha secured the points, and effectively Premiership survival, for Bolton.

The Nigerian's run and shot into the top corner, described by Bolton's manager Sam Allardyce as "a wonder strike", left West Ham six points behind the Wanderers and Leeds United, who lost 3-2 at Southampton, and facing the Premiership scrapheap, too. Their task of avoid the drop was made even more difficult by Fulham who, in their first match under the caretaker manager Chris Coleman after Jean Tigana's departure, showed the right kind of fighting spirit to beat 10-man Newcastle United 2-1 at home and all but safeguard their Premiership place.