Wellington Phoenix are determined to stamp out the unrest that saw police summoned to Sky Stadium during the A-League draw against Melbourne Victory.
General manager David Dome has issued a public apology to Victory fans, after a scuffle in the stands, after Phoenix captain Alex Rufer converted a late penalty to snatch a result that kept his team atop the competition table, ahead of Melbourne on countback.
Home supporters entered the bay reserved for visiting fans, antagonising them and throwing cans.
"Police were called to Sky Stadium last evening by stadium security to reports of a disorder towards the end of the game," Police told Newshub. "However, upon arrival, things had largely been broken up with the assistance of security.
"No further issues."
Still, Dome isn't interested in a repeat of this behaviour.
"I’d like to apologise to all of the Victory supporters who travelled across the Tasman for the match," he said. "We want a fun, family-friendly environment at our home games.
"Unfortunately, the behaviour of a small number of people took away from what was a great occasion on Friday night. The majority of the crowd was amazing and helped inspire the team to score a stoppage-time equaliser, after playing the entire second half with just 10 men.
"It was unquestionably one of the most dramatic games of the season and the atmosphere created by our fans was incredible, so it is very disappointing to have a small group of idiots engage in behaviour that no-one else in the crowd wanted.
"Our fans, led by the Yellow Fever, have a great reputation throughout the league and this behaviour is not reflective of the relationship they have with other supporter groups."
The Phoenix are investigating the incident further, including the possibility of ongoing bans against the offenders.
"These individuals are not welcome at Phoenix games and we will seek sanctions against them, including potentially banning them from the A-League, if charges are proven," said Dome. "This would be an unprecedented step for the club.
"There currently aren’t any Phoenix fans on the league's banned list. We are working with the police to identify the culprits."
