THE violence, which we witnessed at Barbourfields on Sunday, is something which should be condemned by everyone who loves football.
It was like a scene from the Wild West as marauding Highlanders hooligans first forced the abandonment of the biggest football match on the domestic scene and then attacked the Dynamos supporters.
They then fought running battles with the police, including but not limited to attacking the men and women who were there to try and ensure order prevails and the merchants of chaos are defeated.
The surrounding neighbourhoods became mini war zones as missiles kept flying and the DeMbare fans found themselves fleeing for their lives.
Everything appeared to be going according to expectations for just more than half an hour as the two giants produced a refreshing band of attacking football in what was shaping up to be the game of the season.
The Premier Soccer League has been criticised for a number of dull matches, which fall short of providing the kind of fireworks which fans love to watch and this has been blamed for the fall in the attendance figures.
But, from the word go, this felt different as both clubs went straight for each other’s throat with a fine brand of attacking football which ensured that, as early as the second minute, we had a goal in the encounter.
Even though they suffered this early setback, we saw that Bosso refused to throw in the towel and created a number of decent chances to get the equaliser only for their forwards to blow the opportunities.
Then, Dynamos appeared to have struck the hammer blow, later in the half when their inspirational skipper, Frank Makarati powered his header into the far corner, giving ‘keeper Ariel Sibanda no chance at all.
But, this was still the first half and there was enough time for Bosso to reduce the deficit and a whole second half for them to make up for lost ground.
This is what champions are all about, the capacity to find the will to fight back, especially after a setback, and get the result that will boost their cause.
Sadly, the Bosso hooligans decided to take the law into their hands and force the abandonment of the match.
This is a game where everyone should expect a win, a loss and a draw.
No football club ever wins all the matches and when Bosso went on a lengthy unbeaten run, earlier this season, they should know that the fans of their opponents were feeling the pain.
Those fans didn’t transform their pain into violence but, instead, like true sportspersons, they embraced their defeats and moved on.
Bosso have been punished before, for the wild behaviour of some of their fans, and they should be punished again.
At least, the club have done the honourable thing to condemn the violence and criticise the hooligans.
But, we need to see them banning some people from attending their matches.
There is enough video evidence for them to identify the hooligans.