The Police were out in force for last?s night?s football double bill at BAA field last night ? but most impressive was the show of solidarity from the Island?s clubs.

A mixed team of top officials worked together to man the turnstiles and run metal detectors over incoming spectators while the doors were barred to spectator cars.

Bermuda Football Association honorary life vice president Charlie Marshall said: ?We had a meeting and encouraged people to come down and assist in any way. The football family is really rallying around.

?Sunday?s incident had nothing to do with football.?

Dandy Town?s Kevin Blankendale said there were general football fans turning out last night aside from those supporting North Village and Southampton Rangers, who were fighting for mid-table personal pride, while Dandy Town needed to win over Somerset Eagles to stay in the title fight.

He said: ?So far there has been a positive response. Everyone has been co-operative.?

For the most part fans took the searches with good grace although one fan dressed in full North Village get-up waltzed passed security until Police Inspector Calvin Smith stepped in and sent him back.

The detector bleeped but this was put down to his metal buttons and on the fan went.

By the beginning of the second game at 9.30 last night nothing had been seized from spectators.

Inside the ground there were at least five Police officers and often many more while PSU officers waited inside and out.

North Village president Shervin Dill said it was great to see a public Police presence.

?For the average game they should be visible until such time as we are on top of the situation. Visible policing makes an impact on the public?s minds.

?They think twice about misbehaviour if they see them there.?

Fans themselves had mixed views about the high level security and few wished to give their names.

One Boulevard fan who had come with his family said: ?No, it is a little too much. How are people going to come out if they are going to be searched like that? What are you searching for? We are talking about a small something and making out like it?s big.?

His wife said: ?They are supposed to have cameras at the clubs.?

One girl, who gave her name only as Alison, said: ?It doesn?t bother me. They do it in clubs in the States all the time, searching you with metal detectors.?

Dandy Town fan Carol Smith, who was at the game with her ten-year-old son, said she went a lot to games but never feared for her safety and didn?t feel the security made much difference.

Randolph ?Skinny? Brangman, 54, said: ?What happened on Sunday would have happened anyhow.

?I have watched soccer all my life and I have never seen anything like that. It should not be this way.?

He said the warring factions needed to sort out their problems while older people needed to call them aside and tell them to enjoy the game.

He also pointed out that despite the security it was easy to sneak into BAA ground by jumping the wall.

The security net was tighter than some might have liked, however. Two men were arrested on outstanding warrants while at the game