Footie yobs on rampage

Police had to draw their batons and use pepper spray to quell the violence which broke out just before half-time in the 0-0 draw between the two promotion rivals.

Extra police reinforcements had to be brought in to deal with the violence, which Rovers officials blamed on the Millwall fans, who were said to have been drinking before the match kicked off.

Now there are calls to improve security by erecting netting between the home and away supporters' sections at the Keepmoat.

Two Millwall fans and one Rovers supporter were arrested after the disturbance when they tried to get into a segregated area of the stadium reserved for home supporters in the north-west corner of the ground.

Police and stewards at the Keepmoat Stadium joined forces to break up the trouble. The match did not have to be halted and continued during the disturbance.

PC Andy Baker, South Yorkshire Police's football liaison officer for Doncaster, said a lot of the 900 Millwall fans had been drinking heavily on the way up from London.

"Just before half time they made a rush to the north-west corner where a group of young Doncaster fans were gathered and the stewards were caught a bit flat-footed.

"Our officers had to draw batons and used them as well as spraying three or four Millwall fans with pepper spray.

"We shall be looking closely at the CCTV tapes to establish who else might have been responsible for the trouble.

"It was a pretty unsavoury incident and we shall hold a debriefing to see how future matches will be handled. I think netting between the two sections will be on the agenda when we meet the stadium people.

"Several Millwall fans were given medical treatment at the ground for the effects of the pepper spray."

Millwall fan Robert Kinner, aged 32, of Becksley Road, Erith, Kent, was charged with threatening behaviour while fellow Millwall supporter Christopher Catton, 47, of Clark Road, Royston, Hertfordshire, was charged with disorderly conduct. Both are due to appear before Doncaster magistrates on Wednesday. A Doncaster Rovers fan was also arrested and later released with a caution.

Doncaster Rovers managing director Stuart Highfield said after the match: "It is the first time that I have seen any trouble at a Rovers game for a long, long time.

"Our lot were taunting the Millwall fans but you get that every week in football and rival fans normally just give it back. But the Millwall fans just charged towards our supporters in the West Stand.

"I think that the stewards got caught on the hop. I was very disappointed with the Millwall fans; they have got a lot to answer for."

A spokesman for the Stadium Management Comp-any said today: "We will meet with Rovers and the police to discuss the matter and see what action needs to be taken in the future."