ARSENAL'S FA CUP CLASH PORTSMOUTH HALTED DUE TO CROWD INCIDENT

Arsenal's FA Cup clash with Portsmouth was briefly suspended due to an incident in the home end after an action-packed start to the game

Arsenal's clash with Portsmouth was briefly suspended due to an incident in the crowd.

The Gunners travelled to Fratton Park on Sunday to take on the struggling Championship side in the FA Cup third round. But after just three minutes the script was thrown out of the window when Colby Bishop pounced on a rebound to put the hosts ahead.

Arsenal swiftly went in search of an equaliser and forced a corner in front of the home end, but the play was temporarily halted due to an incident behind the goal.

Arsenal's trip to Fratton Park was briefly suspended (Image: PA)

Stewards were spotted heading into the stand to the right of the Portsmouth goal to attend to an incident. TNT Sports commentator Sam Matterface told viewers that stewards and medical staff were attending the scene.

Play was only stopped for less than a minute before the corner kick was allowed to be taken, resulting in Arsenal's equaliser through an own goal by Andre Dozzell.

The stewards Sam Matterface in the crowd for a few moments before dispersing back to their original stations. It has not been confirmed what the stoppage was about after it was swiftly dealt with.

Arsenal escaped a couple of flurries forward from the hosts before another set-piece put them in firm control of the cup tie.

A corner whipped in from the other side found Gabriel Martinelli at the near post, who turned the ball into the far corner of the net with a neat header in the 25th minute to put the Gunners ahead.

Martinelli, who received furious backlash after shoving the seriously injured Conor Bradley during the Premier League draw against Liverpool in midweek, then missed the chance to double his tally as his whipped effort from outside the box fell narrowly wide of the far post.

Noni Madueke had a chance to add the Gunners' third after he was felled inside the box, but he stepped up to take the spot kick and placed the ball wide of the post.

Arsenal made 10 changes for the trip to the south coast from the Liverpool draw, with Gabriel the only player to keep his place.

- Cameron Winstanley