Three Kings United player Fabrizio Tavano after an altercation with Manukau United fans. Photo / Twitter
Three Kings United player Fabrizio Tavano after an altercation with Manukau United fans. Photo / Twitter
An Auckland premier football match turned ugly after a brawl erupted between spectators and players on the side of the pitch.
Police were called to the incident at McLellan Park yesterday following a report of the altercation at around 9.15pm.
The match between Manukau United and Three Kings United atMcLennan Park in the Northern Region Football League was abandoned on Wednesday night with six minutes to go.
Three Kings player Fabrizio Tavano was left injured and bloodied after the altercation.
A police spokesperson said police spoke with some of those involved at the scene as well as the managers and coaches of the teams involved.
A representative from Manukau United told the Herald Tavano came running in to get involved in the melee, which resulted in a number of players being booked.
Tavano was shown a straight red card for hitting Issa, who was then pulled away by a substitute in the aftermath, while Manukau's Prince Quansah was shown a second yellow card for his part in the boilover.
The walk from the pitch to the changing rooms at McLennan Park is up a steep hill, and spectator footage showed Quansah offering a helping hand to an elderly man believed to be a relative of Tavano's.
His offer was brushed away, and statements collected by spectators said Tavano responded by throwing a bottle at Quansah. The bottle missed, and instead hit spectators which ignited the brawl, Manukau United's representative said.
"It's a disgrace this sort of thing has happened."
Three Kings did not respond when contacted for comment.
NRFL competitions manager Terry Hobin attended the match and said it had to be abandoned due to safety concerns.
"Both the referee and myself felt that their safety was compromised because a confrontation has broken out between the players that have been sent off and some spectators."
Auckland Football Federation have begun investigating via the disciplinary process for the competition.
"There is a process to go through now," Hobin said.
"Once we get the referee's report and some other information we've requested, we will make a decision on Friday on whether the result stands and what other action will be taken, including referral to the Disciplinary Committee."
Match Abandoned in the 84th minute due to a fight breaking out.@3KingsUnited 2 (Vincent Pineau 1’, Rory Kelly 41’)@ManukauUtdFC 3 (Sanni Issa 45’ 75’, Stephen Money 53’) HT: 2-1
It's not the first time this season the ground has hosted rowdy conduct during a football match. Manukau coach Kevin Fallon is serving a sideline ban handed down for verbally abusing an official during a recent game.
Fallon said on Facebook he was blamed for saying something that was actually said by fans of the team.
"On the night there was no fourth official no one spoke to me but apparently the young inexperienced linesman had reported me?" Fallon said on Facebook.
"Sadly he got it so wrong the remarks were coming from someone behind our bench. So the word of a schoolboy overruled our whole bench! Where would such nonsense stand up in any other court of law?
"I had not been spoken to by any official, said nothing, did not get a hearing and someone who should have been watching the game condemned me to not be able to do my job for the remainder of the season!"
