A 21-YEAR-OLD man convicted of a drunken clash with police in Oxford failed yesterday to overturn a football banning order.

Matthew Claridge, of New Yatt Road, Witney, had been at Oxford United’s home game with Stevenage with his two brothers on August 22 last year before drinking in the city centre.

The trio were arrested in Gloucester Green bus station after swearing at passengers and singing football songs.

Claridge failed to stop when ordered by police and kicked two officers in the face and chest as they used CS spray.

In October, he was told to do 140 hours’ unpaid work and ordered to pay £100 costs and £175 compensation after admitting a public-order offence and two assault charges.

He was also banned from every football ground in England and Wales or being in Oxford city centre, Temple Cowley and near the Kassam Stadium on U’s matchdays, or where the club is playing.

At Oxford Crown Court yesterday, Claridge argued the offence did not involve rival fans, took place a long way from the ground and was not related to attendance at the match.

But Judge Bruce McIntyre, sitting with two magistrates, upheld the order, although he did reduce Claridge’s ban from the area around the Kassam Stadium from four hours before and after matches to two hours either side of kick-off.

He said: “It seems to us as likely as can be if you go to a football match you will drink too much and if that occurs there’s a risk you will behave in that way again. For these reasons we think the football banning order was appropriate in principle.”

Outside court, Claridge said: “I just happened to be at football that day. I’m getting a banning order when I’m not causing trouble at football.”