THE atmosphere as Portsmouth and Southampton fans confronted each other was described as “like a pressure cooker” by one Saints fan accused of taking part in violent post-match clashes.

Defendant Martyn Bishop told the court how, as he left the ground, he and his 68-year-old father were nearly hit by missiles being thrown by both sets of supporters, which left him “frustrated”, but he denied he had been angry.

Southampton Crown Court has heard that after the FA Cup game in February this year, which Pompey won 4-1, football fans confronted each other at the Freeborn Garage, in Britannia Road, where a fence had been put up to divide them. Three men are on trial for violent disorder.

Bishop, a Saints supporter for 30 years, described how outside the ground was “like a pressure cooker really” and said he walked over to the fencing for around 30 seconds and shook it “two, three, four times”.

He told the court he had not thrown anything and decided to leave the scene.

“I didn’t want to be part of that, I just wanted to be out of there,” he said.

Asked by Martyn Booth, prosecuting, why he had not got away quicker, the gardener said he could not because of the amount of people.

Bishop, 43, of Wheatlands, Fareham, Ross Phillips, 28, of Swift Road, Woolston, and Trevor Collins, 46, of Meggeson Avenue, Townhill Park, deny violent disorder.

Proceeding