Barrow have vowed to ban a fan for life after their Papa Johns Trophy match against Carlisle United was suspended in the third minute because a firework was thrown onto the pitch.

The missile, which footage showed was clearly thrown from the home end, narrowly missed Carlisle goalkeeper Michael Kelly before it exploded in the penalty area. 

Referee Seb Stockbridge immediately brought the game, which had not long got underway, to a stop. Cumbrian police confirmed later a man has been arrested in connection with the firework.

‘Working alongside the club, Cumbria Police have now arrested one male in relation to the firework thrown on the pitch in the early stages of the match,’ the police statement said. 

‘I remind you, this is an offence and is extremely dangerous and will not be tolerated.’

Players waited over on the touchline as two announcements were made over the PA system condemning further use of fireworks and pyrotechnics.

A 15-minute delay followed before a third announcement was made that play would only resume once the Holker Street End – where the firework had been thrown from – was cleared. 

Fans were told one more incident and the game was to be abandoned. Play restarted at 7.20pm, 18 minutes after the referee suspended it.

A firework was thrown at Barrow before exploding inside the penalty area in the third minute of their Papa Johns Trophy match against Carlisle United on Tuesday evening

The match was halted for 18 minutes, with three announcements made over the PA system

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Cumbrian police confirmed they arrested a man in connection with the launched missile

‘It’s quite scary when something like that happens,’ Carlisle boss Paul Simpson told the club’s official site.

‘It just takes one idiot, as we saw. I was going to say someone was getting excited but that’s downright stupidity in my opinion. I hope they get dealt with.

‘Mick was going to go and pick it up. He did step forward because at first he thought it was a flare. I’ve only ever seen a firework coming onto the pitch once and that was in my first spell here in a youth cup game at Stockport.

‘It made me jump. I’m not really fussed about fireworks normally but that made me jump, so I dread to think what it did for Mick. There’s just no place for it.’

It overshadowed an impressive performance from Pete Wild’s side as they won 2-0 on the night

Josh Kay celebrated scoring the opening goal before Sam Foley went on to add a second

Barrow, who won the match 2-0 following goals from Josh Kay and Sam Foley, were furious in the aftermath and vowed to take the strongest possible action against the fan who threw the firework.

‘Barrow Association Football Club has a zero tolerance approach to anti-social behaviour, including the use of pyrotechnics, and strongly condemns this behaviour,’ their statement read.

‘After working with Barrow Police, a suspect has been identified and arrested and will consequently be banned for life from the SO Legal Stadium.

‘Barrow Association Football Club must emphasise that we do not want to be associated with these people and they are not welcome at the SO Legal Stadium.’