Tempers exploded at the bet365 Stadium as Hull City's dramatic late victory over Stoke City was marred by a full-scale pitch brawl involving players from both sides.
The Championship clash, which finished 2-1 to the visitors, descended into chaos at the final whistle when Hull players celebrated their crucial win in front of furious Stoke supporters.
Late Winner Sparks Dramatic Scenes
Joe Gelhardt became the match-winner for Hull City, scoring a decisive late goal that could prove vital in the Championship promotion race. The goal sparked wild celebrations from the travelling Tigers contingent, but these quickly turned sour.
Hull players chose to celebrate their dramatic victory directly in front of the home supporters, a decision that immediately heightened tensions between the two sets of players and the incensed Stoke fans.
Pitch Invaded by Angry Players
What began as heated exchanges rapidly escalated into a mass confrontation. Players from both teams piled into each other in an unsightly melee that required intervention from officials and coaching staff.
The flashpoint appeared to involve Mohamed Belloumi, whose provocative dancing in front of home supporters drew an angry reaction from Stoke's Ashley Phillips. The Tottenham loanee confronted Belloumi, triggering the widespread fracas that followed.
Cards Issued After Final Whistle
Remarkably, referee Lee Doughty was forced to brandish yellow cards after the match had officially concluded, such was the severity of the post-match incidents.
The situation was further inflamed when objects appeared to be thrown from the crowd towards the celebrating Hull players, adding to the volatile atmosphere at the Staffordshire ground.
This unsavoury conclusion to an otherwise compelling Championship fixture is likely to attract attention from football authorities, with potential disciplinary action following for both clubs involved in the post-match chaos.
