A vicious brawl involving players, substitutes and riot police forced a lower division Argentine football match to be called off midway through the second half with the referee handing out 12 red cards, Argentine media reported.

Deportivo Roca’s match at home to Cipolletti in Group One of the Torneo Federal A, the Argentine third tier, erupted after two players were sent off following a seemingly innocuous clash in the game on Wednesday.

Cipolletti defender Marcos Lamolla was initially given a yellow card for a foul on Fernando Fernandez, who protested and was sent off.

This led to more protests, a scuffle and Lamolla was given another yellow and dismissed.

Video footage of the game posted online showed the livid Lamolla running the entire length of the pitch to square up to Fernandez, who was already on his way to the dressing room, but then being intercepted by a player.

The pair lashed out at each other which quickly led to a free-for-all in which players lunged at each other with flying kicks and punches, before Cipolletti players fled down the inflatable tunnel.

Referee Facundo Espinosa told Argentine media that he had sent off 10 further players in the chaos and they would be named in his official report.

“Both teams’ players were disgraceful, they didn’t behave like professionals,” said Roca coach Diego Landeiro.

•Text excerpted from a Telegraph Sport report.