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Yeovil Town's game with Crawley Town was stopped in the 80th minute after a drone was seen flying above Huish Park.

Referee Brett Huxtable took the players off the field after the object was spotted flying above the stadium.

The game was halted for 11 minutes while security staff at the stadium made sure that Huish Park and the surrounding area was safe before the game resumed.

Nobody is reported to have been injured and the drone quickly disappeared once it was spotted.

It was the latest drama in an action packed game which saw Yeovil reduced to nine men in the first half as Connor Smith and Omar Sowunmi were both controversially sent off.

Crawley then came from a goal down to win the game 2-1 as goals by Jordan Roberts and Thomas Verheydt saw them come from behind after Sam Surridge had given the Glovers the lead.

But while the questionable performance of Huxtable was the main talking point on the pitch, off it the bizarre stoppage is what will dominate the headlines.

(Image: Cameron Geran/Pinnacle)

Both managers gave their views on the incident after the match, with Yeovil Town boss Darren Way describing the person responsible for piloting the drone into the ground as a "clown".

He said: “Crawley regrouped [when the game was stopped].

"They were in their dressing room for ten minutes and again, the referee has decided to make that decision and again, you feel that if it couldn’t get any worse, a drone some clown decides to drive into the stadium, so a big well done to him, whoever he is.

"But listen, I can’t use that as an excuse. These things happen and our players are growing stronger, week by week, and I have to remain positive as a manager which I always will do."

Crawley Town manager Harry Kewell said the stoppage provided his players with the impetus they needed to go on and win the match.

He said: "I've never seen that before in my life.

It probably worked in my favour when the drone came. It gave me a chance to get my boys and ask, 'what are you doing? That wasn't the plan'.

"When we got back we started playing football again, we got one or two chances and then we got the goal."

A spokesman for Yeovil Town Football Club said: "Correctly following the agreed protocol, the officials removed the players from the field of play for safety reasons, incurring an 11 minute delay.

"As part of the club's own protocol regarding security concerns, stewards and security staff were deployed across the Huish Park site to investigate.

"The club will now continue to work with Avon and Somerset Police as the investigation continues."

Crawley victorious on the pitch

(Image: Cameron Geran/Pinnacle)

Crawley sealed their victory in the 87th minute as Verheydt's header secured a come from behind win for the Red Devils against a Yeovil side that played the entire second half with nine men.

Yeovil dominated the early stages of the game and deservedly took the lead when Surridge's shot was only able to be parried into the net by Glenn Morris after he reacted first to a cross by Fela Olomola which cannoned back off the post.

It looked as though the Glovers were in control at Huish Park, but the game was turned on its head when Connor Smith was sent off for a second yellow card.

And Crawley took advantage to draw level when Mark Randall impressively finished a Jordan Roberts cross from close range.

Things got worse for Yeovil when Omar Sowunmi was sent off after being adjudged to have fouled Roberts while the striker was through on goal, but video footage proved it to be a harsh decision with no foul committed by the centre back.

It left Yeovil the unenviable task of seeing out the rest of the match with nine men, but they restricted Crawley to half chances for the majority of the second half.

That was until play was halted when a drone was flown over Huish Park in the 80th minute and both teams were taken off the field for 11 minutes while the safety of all in the stadium was assured.

With time to regroup, Crawley came out energised and laid siege to the Yeovil goal, eventually grabbing their winner three minutes from time when Verheydt got onto the end of Jimmy Smith's cross and steered the ball past Artur Krysiak.

Yeovil Town: Krysiak, James, Sowunmi, N Smith (c), Dickson, Worthington, C Smith, Gray, Khan (Mugabi 45), Olomola (Green 76), Surridge (Zoko 82)

Unused subs: Maddison, Davies, Nelson, Santos

Booked: C Smith, James

Sent off: C Smith (second yellow), Sowunmi

Goals: Surridge (19)

Crawley Town: Morris, Boldewijn, Evina (Sanoh 62), Smith, Lelan (Meite 39), Young, Connolly, Roberts, Randall, Yorwerth (Verheydt 74), Bulman

Unused subs: Mersin, Verheydt, Doherty, Clifford, McNerney

Booked: Roberts, Morris, Young, Randall

Sent off: None

Goals: Randall (44), Verheydt (87)

Referee: Brett Huxtable

Attendance: 2,635 (92 away)