Red cards, fans throwing fireworks and illegal substitutions: Hearts 'friendly' against Romanian side descends into chaos

Dinamo Bucharest fans were ordered to leave after throwing objects onto the pitch during friendly in Lancashire

Dinamo Bucharest fans throw fireworks onto the pitch during a pre-season friendly with Hearts in Lancashire (Youtube)

A pre-season friendly between Hearts and Dinamo Bucharest is not the most predictable source of animosity between supporters, but the visitors showed they were in no mood for a tame exhibition match.

With the game being played in the small village of Leigh, Lancashire, there were only 300 people who decided to pay the £10 entry for the game, which would perhaps only interest the most loyal football fans.

But what followed simply could not have been written in the script.

The change in venue seemed to annoy those who turned up to view the game, with the Leigh Harriers athletics ground deemed not fit for purpose after a recent shot put event, and kick-off was half an hour later as a result.

At half-time, the Dinamo supporters allegedly unfurled banners and began to throw beer cans and fire crackers onto the pitch. Stewards eventually removed the banners, and forced the supporters out of the venue, although some attempted to climb the fence to get back into the ground.

The madness was far from over, however, when the referee awarded a corner in favour of the Scottish league side. Dinamo captain Laurentiu Rus was so incensed at the decision that he ran 15 yards and pushed the official over, and when back to his feet, swiftly brandished a red card.

Rus then refused to leave the pitch, and when he did finally accept his marching orders, Dinamo bizarrely threw on a substitution. The referee ordered the player back to the dugout, and despite the incredible events that unfolded, Hearts did eventually win 2-1.

Needless to say, they won't be inviting the Romanians back again.