DAILY STAR
The Melbourne Derby was abandoned after a player was brutally hit in the head with a bucket filled with sand.
All hell broke loose in the in the 22nd minute of the A-League clash between Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory when fans of the latter stormed the pitch. Multiple objects including flares were thrown from the away end before a sand bucket, used to put out pyrotechnics, was launched at City goalkeeper Tom Glover. The attack also caught referee Alex King.
Others players rushed to their aid as they were escorted off the pitch, with the match initially suspended before it was abandoned altogether. Glover suffered a nasty gash to the head and received medical treatment in the dressing room for a suspected concussion.
Footage before fans launched onto the pitch appeared to show Glover launching a flare that had landed in his penalty area back in amongst the fans. It has been suggested that this is what sparked the pitch invasion and the disgraceful attack on the goalkeeper.
The ugly scenes came on a weekend of planned protests at all A-League fixtures after this week’s announcement that the Australian Professional Leagues had signed a deal for their men’s and women’s grand finals to be hosted in Sydney for the next three years…
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