'I shouldn't go on the field - but I'm going to protect my players' - Gosport Borough boss Shaun Gale on ugly scenes after being sent-off in Salisbury FA Trophy tie

But the Boro boss said protecting his players was the priority following some ugly scenes at Privett Park.

Gale entered the field of play and was in a stand-off with Salisbury's Darren Mullings - also shown a straight red card - in the feisty FA Trophy tie.

Things got out of hand after a coming together between Boro's Ryan Woodford - the recipient of the third red card dished out by referee Ben Duffill - on Sam Ashton in front of the away technical area 10 minutes after the break.

What followed was a mass melee with players and staff from both sides involved before Boro chairman Iain McInnes made his way to pitchside as there was a near 10-minute stoppage in play.

Gale insisted he only entered the field because of the 'abuse' they were being subjected to. But the Boro boss conceded his actions were not acceptable as things got heated between the two teams.

Gale said: ‘I'm not having my players abused - I think the referee could have sent off five or six people.

‘I shouldn't go on the field of play, but I'm going to go on the field of play to protect my players.

‘I'm not having people grabbing hold of and getting in (with Gosport player), from that there is a melee - my actions should be better than that and I shouldn't go on the field of play - but I'm not going to see my players putting up with that.

‘Their lad (Sam Ashton) slid under Ryan Woodford (for tackle which sparked melee), where's Ryan going to go? If someone cleans you out from underneath your feet and he lands on him, you're going to fall down.

‘What happens from there and some of the scenes after are not good and we don't want that at our football club - it's about a game of football.

‘But I'm going to stand up for my football club and my team. The referee should be sending off other people - but he hasn't.’