Dundee v Rangers halted by police and players withdrawn from pitch following pyrotechnic display

The Scottish Premiership match between Dundee and Rangers was halted by police and the players withdrawn from the pitch after fans let off flares in the away end.

Rangers fans light up the Bob Shankly stand with flares before the match against Dundee was halted. (Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group)

A huge pyrotechnic display from Rangers supporters in the Bob Shankley Stand at Dens Park triggered a fire alarm which saw the match, which had already been subject to a delayed kick-off, stopped with just two minutes on the clock with the game still goalless.

Referee Kevin Clancy was summoned to the touchline where police advised him to call a halt to proceedings while safety assessments were carried out around the stadium. Clancy spoke to both managers and then the players were led back down the tunnel while checks were carried out.

BBC Scotland's Keradine Idessane reported: “The reason for the break in play at Dens Park is due to the pyrotechnics setting a fire alarm off.

“It's a security issue. It's a police decision. That's why the players have gone off. They need to make sure everything is okay to continue.”

The match, which had already been put back 45 minutes to 8.30pm due to severe travel disruption in and around Dundee delaying the arrival of the Rangers team bus, was paused for a period of around 15 minutes before the players returned to the pitch and the game resumed.