THERE was a heavy police presence around Dean Court on match day as League One rivals AFC Bournemouth and Southampton met for the second time this season.

The last time the teams met, at Southampton last October, six people were arrested following the Cherries’ 2-0 defeat. That day was marred by outbreaks of fighting and ugly scenes in the stadium car park and the city centre.

For the return fixture, pubs on the route to the ground had extra door security and designated themselves home or away.

Groups of Southampton fans, who gathered before the game at The Inferno and The Christopher Creeke on Holdenhurst Road, attracted the biggest police presence.

The 70-80 fans from The Inferno were escorted to the ground by around 20 police and several police vans and cars, the fans chanting most of the way.

Around 80-100 Bournemouth fans at The Queens Park had a brief, angry stand-off with police just before the game when they tried to head down Ashley Road in the direction the Southampton fans, but eventually went the other way.

Police dog handlers and officers in riot gear were on hand as fans left Dean Court.

Two large groups of Saints fans left at around 5.10pm, each around 300-400 strong. A few fans on the fringes shouted abuse and taunted Bournemouth supporters, including a young lad in his car with his family.

The sheer number of fans meant the road was blocked or partially blocked several times.

I witnessed saw some taunting and chanting towards Cherries fans in the pavilion, in the Portman Hotel, and on a bus, but no violence.

Overall, it seemed the mood after the match was jubilant rather than aggressive.

Later, a group of Saints fans drinking in the Christopher Creeke were watched by around 30 officers as they sang and abused Bournemouth as a town.

I saw police move away a couple of small groups of drunken Bournemouth fans who got too close to the area and one man was arrested.

At around 6.10pm the police started to move the Saints fans out of the Christopher Creeke and towards the railway station. There were around 60 officers surrounding 30 Saints fans in a box, and another 20 or so police in a line in front moving everyone else out of the way.

The Saints fans were chanting “Scum army”.