The Football Association (FA) has criticised the Slovak authorities for their handling of an outbreak of violence during England's Euro 2004 qualifying match in Bratislava on Saturday.

Police carried out a series of baton charges on a section of England supporters who tried to tear down metal fences separating them from Slovak fans.

But the FA says the authorities used excessive force in dealing with the fans.

Slovakian police charged England fans

It will also be making an official complaint about the racist chanting which Emile Heskey and Ashley Cole were subjected to by the home crowd.

England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson said: "It looked like many years ago when I was in Belgium in the Heysel Stadium. It's crazy that football should still be like that.

"It did not look good at all, there were people running all over the place and I hope no-one was injured."

It looked like many years ago when I was in Belgium in the Heysel Stadium. It's crazy that football should still be like that.

Sven-Goran Eriksson

FA spokesman Adrian Bevington said: "The racism is very disappointing.

"Throughout the game Emile Heskey and Ashley Cole, in particular, suffered a torrent of racist abuse whenever they got the ball and they deserve credit for the way they conducted themselves throughout that."

Heskey added: "It wasn't just a few people it was the whole stadium. It was very hard but we just tried to block it out."

The violence occurred during the first half of the game, but calm was quickly restored.

The second half passed off peacefully and England went on to score two goals, both from Michael Owen, to clinch the tie.

The trouble apparently started when visiting fans in the stands behind one goal began hurling missiles at nearby Slovak supporters.

As seats were being thrown, police wearing riot helmets and wielding batons forced England supporters to retreat.

Fans had to be helped to safety

Loudspeaker announcements in English urged the visiting fans to behave.

The violence was the last thing the FA wanted, particularly after two fans were wounded in a shooting incident the previous night.

Phil Holland, 31, from Worcester, was shot in the leg while Gareth Jones, 30, from Coventry, was shot in the throat.

Police in Bratislava investigating the shooting have questioned a pair of private security workers.

They said the manager of a bar in the city centre called a security service to remove about 60 England fans after they had reportedly been trying to pull their own pints of beer.

Security guards opened fire, said police spokeswoman Marta Bujnakova.

Surgery

Police found 16 cartridges in the bar and have detained two security officers, but are still searching for another.

Mr Holland, a tiler, said: "We had been in the pub in the main square and were walking towards a nightclub when we heard some shots being fired.

"At first they seemed to be firing into the air.

"We all moved away from the noise - but then I suddenly realised I had been shot in the leg."

Mr Jones has undergone surgery to remove the bullet, but is said to be in a stable condition.