Two arrested after linesman hit by flare at Villa Park
On-song Townsend stars in victory over Aston Villa as Spurs move to fifth in table
Two men were arrested after an assistant referee was struck by a flare thrown from the stands during Tottenham Hotspur’s 2-0 Premier League win at Aston Villa on Sunday.
The pair, aged 25 and 47, were later released on bail pending further inquiries, police said on Monday.
Spurs had just taken a 31st-minute lead through Andros Townsend at Villa Park when a canister trailing black smoke was lobbed towards the playing surface, apparently from the away supporters’ section.
It was the right response after the defeat by West Ham and it is good to see us near the top
It hit assistant referee David Bryan on the back, causing him to stumble forwards, but after a brief stoppage in play while referee Phil Dowd spoke to his colleague, the game continued.
The Football Association said it would wait for Dowd's match report before deciding on what action would be taken.
Townsend prospered in the glare of the spotlight as he netted his first Premier League goal to continue what he called the best few weeks of his life.
The 22-year-old, who signed a four-year deal with Spurs on Friday having scored on his England debut the previous week before finding himself at the centre of a racism furore, put his side ahead in the 31st minute with a cross that found the net.
