Brazilian riot police forced to intervene as referee is ATTACKED on the pitch

Police were forced to intervene at the end of Botafogo's 1-1 draw with fellow Brazilian outfit Sergipe on Thursday, as furious players stormed the pitch to attack the match referee at full time.

Sergipe, who play their domestic matches in the fourth tier of Brazilian football, were leading the top flight side 1-0 until the closing stages, before officials controversially added on nine minutes of injury time at the end of the game.

After time was up, referee Braulio da Silva Machado then allowed for an additional 30 seconds so that Botafogo could take a succession of corners, which subsequently led to the Rio de Janeiro-based club equalising at the death.

In the Brazilian Cup, away teams advance in the event of a draw, meaning Sergipe crashed out of the competition as a result.

Footage soon emerged of Sergipe's enraged players storming the pitch at full time in a bid to confront the match officials. 

A mass brawl broke out after Botafogo equalised late on against fourth-tier Brazil side Sergipe

The referee was attacked after controversially allowing nine minutes of added time at the end

Riot police were forced to intervene as Sergipe's players and fans swarmed the match referees

A mass brawl broke out between the players, Sergipe's fans and the referees, prompting armoured police to rush the pitch with riot shields.

Even the president of the fourth-tier club, Ernan Sena, invaded the pitch to chase down the referees, causing one of the linesmen to hit him with his offside flag.

Sergipe's players and fans also went for Botafogo coach Luis Castro, who has previously managed clubs including Porto, Rio Ave and Shakhtar Donetsk.

Castro and the officials were escorted off the field of play by police.