WATCH: Football thug ‘PUNCHES POLICE HORSE’ before it chases him down the street and he's tackled by baton-wielding officers

There were shocking scenes at the English League Cup clash between bitter local rivals Portsmouth and Southampton when one fan appeared to punch a police horse.

Fans of the south coast rivals clashed in the streets around Portsmouth’s Fratton Park stadium on Tuesday night, with footage showing one incident in which a home supporter seemed to lash out at a police horse.

Video shared on social media shows the footie thug – clad in blue – being pursued by an officer on horseback.

The fan then stops to square up to the horse and seems to land a right jab on its face.

“Man’s swinging for a horse,” the person filming says.

The supporter then makes off down the street with the officer and horse in pursuit, before being tackled by baton-wielding police further ahead.

“The dog’s coming for him. I’m getting out of the way. The horse is chasing him," the man filming the scene is heard laughing.

“Oh no, he’s caught, baton’s out, baton’s out,” he adds.

The meeting between the coastal rivals – which Premier League team Southampton won 4-0 – was the first between the pair in seven years.

There was a huge police presence around the Fratton Park home of League One team Portsmouth, which included officers being drafted in from other parts of the country.

Southampton fans were escorted to the game by a police corridor, although there were still sporadic clashes between supporters before and after kick-off.