Mansfield Town: Manager Nigel Clough says pitch invasions are 'getting concerning'
- Published
Wednesday's League Two play-off semi-final second leg was also interrupted by flares being let off
Mansfield boss Nigel Clough says pitch invader incidents are "getting concerning" after one of his players was apparently shoved by a fan that ran on to the field at Northampton.
Forward Jordan Bowery appeared to be barged into late on in Wednesday's 1-0 League Two semi-final second-leg win.
The incident came a day after Sheffield United's Billy Sharp was injured by a pitch invader at Nottingham Forest.
"Football from the top level have to address it," Clough said.
The Football Association is looking into the incident at Sixfields on Wednesday.
No arrests have been made, and neither club has formally commented on it.
Talking to BBC East Midlands Today following Wednesday's win that sealed a 3-1 aggregate victory for Mansfield, Clough said more needs to be done to control fans after flares were also let off at Sixfields when supporters ran on to the pitch.
Bowery remained on his feet after appearing to be shoved before Northampton players and stewards intervened and led the pitch invader off.
"After what happened [at Nottingham Forest] it's getting a bit concerning for everybody," Clough said.
"You get enough stewards, enough security people around that people can't encroach on the pitch.
"The pitch is for the 22 players and the referee and assistants when they need to come on. No-one else should be on it."
Before the disorder at Sixfields, the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) had called for a review of matchday security and fan disorder as a result of the attack on Sharp, for which Forest supporter Robert Biggs was jailed.
The Forest season ticket holder pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm on Thursday.