Credit: Mike Egerton/EMPICS Sport
AN ASSISTANT REFEREE was struck by a flare thrown from the stands during the first half of the Premier League game between Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur.
Spurs had just taken a 31st-minute lead through Andros Townsend at Villa Park when a canister trailing black smoke was lobbed towards the playing surface, apparently from the away supporters’ section.
It hit the assistant referee on the back, causing him to stumble forwards, but after a brief stoppage in play while referee Phil Dowd spoke to his colleague, the game continued.
Credit: BBCSporf