Crossbow bolt fired onto pitch in non-league game in Stockport

It seems coin-throwing is yesterday's news. A police investigation has been launched after a crossbow bolt – yes, a frickin' crossbow bolt! – was fired into a stadium during a non-league match in Stockport yesterday, prompting the game's abandonment. The incident occurred during the Unibond First Division game between Woodley Sports and Alsager Town, which the home side were leading 3-0 at the time. With 13 minutes of the match remaining, the referee noticed something had been launched into Woodley's Lambeth Grove stadium and was embedded in the artificial pitch.

Alsager chairman Graham McGarry, who was at the game, said: 'This was a serious incident and could have been a tragedy. It whistled past the left-back of Woodley Sports. All the players were in agreement with the referee, you could not carry on. After one was fired they may have been set up outside the ground to fire more. It wasn't just the players, you don't know where they could have landed. There were children watching the game.'

First a spate of coin-throwing and now this… What sort of deranged hooligan would do something like this? The label 'mindless idiot' is far too good for whoever fired the bolt. I just hope this doesn't lead to copycat incidents.

[Via ESPN]