THREE men have been charged with pitch invasion and public order offences following Swindon Town’s dramatic clash with Oxford United at the weekend.

Paul Alan Johnson, 22, of no fixed abode, Swindon and James Robert Trott, 23, of Thames Avenue, Swindon, have both been charged with pitch invasion and a public order offence following the Robin’s 2-1 defeat.

Samuel George Bladen-Hovell, 20 from Ashbury Avenue, Swindon, was charged with pitch invasion and all three are due to appear at Swindon Magistrates' Court on February 22.

Two other people from Aylesbury and Abingdon who were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder and assaulting a police officer respectively have been released on police bail pending further enquiries.

The Merlin pub in Drove Road had a strict Swindon Town fans only policy on match day.

Merlin landlord Nigel Turrell said this kept any disruption to a minimum

“It worked out better than I expected. In a situation like this you do prepare for trouble but it was very relaxed, very friendly, and there was absolutely no trouble to report," he said.

“We wanted to have a comfortable safe environment for families to enjoy the match and that’s exactly what it was.”

Oxford United supporters were seen shouting derogatory chants as they made their way off the train on Sunday morning, where a ring of armed police awaited them.

Wiltshire Police called in 250 officers from five forces in a bid to deter any violence.

But chaos reigned as fans charged at each other across the open grass outside the County Ground before the game.

Police officers called for medics as they pulled one injured fan from the crowd and shielded him from the clashes around them. He appeared to have been struck on the head.

Superintendent Adrian Burt, of Wiltshire Police, said: “Despite the actions of a small minority of attendees at the Swindon v Oxford match who were intent on causing trouble, the game passed without any major incident.

“Police were faced with some challenges in escorting a considerable number of Oxford fans into the ground, which necessitated the need to close roads for a short time to ensure safety for all.

"Any issues presented were quickly contained. We recognise that any issues were not caused by the loyal football supporters but by those who wished to disrupt the game and the enjoyment of fans.

“After the match a group of approximately 800 Oxford fans were escorted from the ground peacefully and dispersed without any issue, with any impact on the local community kept to a minimum.

“We are also reviewing all CCTV and body worn camera evidence and will take subsequent action against any other offenders from yesterday.”