A derby recreation within the Australian A-League was dropped at an abrupt finish on the AAMI Park on Saturday after spectators invaded the pitch, injuring a participant and the referee.

The incident occurred within the twenty second minute in the course of the recreation between Melbourne Metropolis and their arch rivals Melbourne Victory within the A-League.

Melbourne Metropolis goalkeeper Tom Glover was hit with a metallic bucket and referee Alex King, whereas attempting to protect him, was additionally injured.

A TV cameraman was additionally injured by a flare.

Glover required a number of stitches on the sector earlier than being taken to the hospital.

His membership confirmed that the 24-year-old went for additional observe up checks after preliminary evaluation by Metropolis’s medical group.

The invasion was mentioned to have been triggered after the previous Tottenham goalkeeper threw a flare again into the group.

Followers had been mentioned to have made their means into the sector by breaching the promoting boards.

Earlier than the chaos started, Melbourne Metropolis had been already within the lead due to Aiden O’Neil objective within the eleventh minute.

Melbourne Victory launched a press release ‘unequivocally’ condemning the incident on the recreation, whereas saying each golf equipment shared the blame.

“The Membership unequivocally condemns the actions of followers at Saturday evening’s match in opposition to Melbourne Metropolis at AAMI Park.

“The actions that occurred, that noticed spectators enter the pitch and injure a Melbourne Metropolis FC participant, an official and a Community 10 cameraman, are usually not acceptable beneath any circumstance and don’t have any place in soccer,” the membership mentioned.

In line with BBC Sport, there have been a sequence of protests by supporters previous to the kickoff. The protest continued in the course of the match which was initially suspended then deserted on participant security grounds.