FA Cup round up: Police hunting fan who threw coin at West Brom's Chris Brunt

The supporter who allegedly threw the coin has been identified by stewards in a picture which has now been passed to police

Chris Brunt with a mark under his left eye after being hit by a coin thrown by West Bromwich Albion fans (Getty)

Police have revealed that in addition to the coin which hit West Bromwich Albion midfielder Chris Brunt immediately after his side’s FA Cup defeat at Reading, a bottle was also thrown from the crowd in the direction of Reading players in the second half of the fifth-round tie.

Both the Football Association and Thames Valley Police are investigating the coin incident – the police viewing it as assault – as well as further crowd disturbances in the Albion end of the ground. The supporter who allegedly threw the coin has been identified by stewards in a picture which has now been passed to police, and if found guilty will be banned for life by West Bromwich.

The police plan to speak to Brunt as part of their investigations into “a number of incidents” in the aftermath of the game.

The player was struck by a coin thrown from the end of the Madejski Stadium housing West Bromwich fans. He had gone over to applaud the visiting supporters despite the team’s embarrassing 3-1 loss but went down clutching his face as he approached the stand.

He suffered a cut under his left eye, and his manager Tony Pulis said he could have been blinded.

Sergeant Richard Noone of Thames Valley Police said: “We are investigating a number of incidents. There were a number of incidents of disorder during the second half, including objects being thrown between those sitting in the home section and those sitting in the away section.

“A bottle was also thrown in the direction of a Reading player. During the second half, a 37-year-old man from Sandwell, West Midlands, was arrested for a racially aggravated public order offence.

“ We would ask anyone with any information about these incidents to contact Thames Valley Police immediately.”

Reading, semi-finalists last season, had to come back from 1-0 down to beat their Premier League visitors, who are in a worrying run of form.

Elsewhere in the FA Cup on Saturday, Leeds United defender Scott Wootton apologised to his team-mates and the club’s staff after his own goal gave Watford a 1-0 win at Vicarage Road. The 24-year-old, formerly of Manchester United’s academy, was attempting to clear the ball when he diverted it into his own net instead.

“I felt for Scott. He’ll not sleep for a couple of days,” said Leeds manager Steve Evans. “He got caught in two minds and he’ll be hurting after that.”

It is the first time Watford have reached the sixth round in almost a decade.

Everton won 2-0 at Bournemouth but needed a penalty save by goalkeeper Joel Robles from Charlie Daniels to turn the tie during a first half in which Roberto Martinez’s side were worryingly underwhelming.

Everton equalised after the break when Ross Barkley’s shot took a wicked deflection off Dan Gosling. Romelu Lukaku scored the winner on 76 minutes from Brian Oviedo’s corner.