By Jesse Hogan
April 18, 2005 - 3:24PM

Supporters watch on as flares are thrown at Bob Jane Stadium last night.
Photo: Stefan Gorgievski

Police are furious after ethnic-based soccer violence flared again last night during a Victorian Premier League soccer clash between South Melbourne and Preston Lions at Bob Jane Stadium.

Four officers received minor injuries in the melee.

One person was arrested for assaulting an officer, with police studying video footage to try and make more arrests.

Even before play began, 9000 supporters of South Melbourne - which has a mainly Greek fan base - and the predominantly Macedonian Preston Lions were segregated at opposite ends of the stadium, separated by water-filled barriers.

Forty-five police and 40 security staff confiscated inflammatory banners and amid chanting and rising tension, delaying kick-off by 15 minutes.

A goal from ex-South Melbourne player Steve Manceski was enough for Preston to claim victory against its higher-rated opponent, but the result triggered violence in the stands.

At least a dozen flares were thrown onto the pitch after the match, while about 100 supporters of both clubs invaded the pitch after breaking down a fence.

The rival supporters also threw coins and darts at each other.

Mounted police were used to disperse the crowd.

One supporter threw a wheelie bin at a police horse.

Acting Superintendent Chris Duthie, who was working at the match, said the behaviour of some fans was "very disappointing".

"The police could do little else than try and control the crowd," he said. "If we had have gone in and made numerous arrests we would have lost our personnel," he said.

"If it hadn't have been for the police horses, I think we would have lost the day."

A match between South Melbourne and Melbourne Knights in the now-defunct National Soccer League in February last year was also marred by crowd violence.

Supporters, most of whom supported the Knights, ripped up chairs at Bob Jane Stadium and marched down Clarendon Street in droves after the match, damaging many shops along the way.

South Melbourne president George Donikian said it was likely future matches between the two clubs - which had not faced each other in 12 years - would be played away from fans.

Acting Superintendent Duthie said extra officers were rostered on as violence was expected. He said he had met representatives of both clubs before the match but was unhappy with the result.

"I wasn't satisfied with the fact that there was no guarantees they could control the behaviour of their own fans."

He also dismissed suggestions they were unprepared for the violence, saying security officers had been checking patrons' bags while police had been using metal detectors as well.

"If you have 200 people that want to riot, it's difficult to have any number of police or security in order to overcome it."

Acting Superintendent Duthie will be meeting further with the clubs this week to determine how their will minimise violence in future fixtures between the two clubs. He forecast an alcohol ban at Bob Jane Stadium.

"There probably won't be (alcohol available) in the future, because I'm also the licensing inspector for that area."

He also said arrangements would have to be made to ensure rival supporters were not using the same toilets, as happened yesterday.

The clubs face fines of up to $10,000 over the flare-throwing.

Officials from Football Federation Victoria, which runs the Victorian Premier League, will meet to decide on punishment for the clubs.

Victorian Soccer Federation chief Tony Pignata told ABC radio the two clubs could be banned from competition.

- with AAP