West Brom, Wolves FA Cup derby suspended by fan disorder

The FA Cup match between West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers at The Hawthorns on Sunday was temporarily suspended after supporters entered the pitch following disturbances in the stands.

Violence broke out among fans after Wolves striker Mateus Cunha gave the Premier League visitors a 2-0 lead. The police then entered the crowd, forcing the referee to prevent the match from restarting.

A message on screens inside the field read: “Please return to your seats. Entering the field of play is a criminal offense.”

Wolves defender Craig Dawson tried to calm fans before players and staff from both teams descended into the tunnel as police sought to restore order inside the stadium.

West Brom defender Kyle Bartley was seen summoning his family from the stands as the players left the pitch.

After a 38-minute break, the teams returned to the field as it was announced that the match would resume from the moment Cunha's goal was scored.

Bartley was replaced by Erik Pieters when the match resumed.

West Brom and Wolves are local rivals, with the teams' respective stadiums located 11 miles apart in the West Midlands of England. The game is called the Black Country derby.

The match finished 2–0 and Wolves progressed to the fifth round of the FA Cup.

The English Football Association (FA) said the incident was “completely unacceptable”. in a report released after the match.

“Safety and security are of the utmost importance, and the behavior of those involved is dangerous and inexcusable. We will investigate these serious incidents alongside the clubs and relevant authorities, and appropriate action will be taken.”

The delay prompted officials to push back the fifth-round draw – originally scheduled for just before Liverpool's match against Norwich City at Anfield on Sunday – until half-time of that match.

Information from Reuters contributed to this report.