A smoke grenade hurled onto the pitch during Carlisle United's victory against Mansfield was NOT thrown by Blues fans, it has emerged.

Instead a group of Scottish fans - understood by the News & Star to be followers of Greenock Morton - are thought to have been behind the incident in the Warwick Road End.

A yellow flare landed close to Mark Gillespie's goal shortly after Jason Kennedy had equalised at the other end in Saturday's 5-2 victory.

Safety staff eventually disposed of it and United say they are investigating the incident.

Blues spokesman Andy Hall said the club did not believe Carlisle fans were responsible, despite it happening in Brunton Park's home end.

He said: "It appears from early reports that a group of fans have come from north of the border, with their own team's game having been called off.

"From the lettering we found on the external casing of the flare, it was identified as a group of fans from a Scottish club.

"Obviously that is disappointing, but we have to praise our fans for the way they reacted in distancing themselves from the incident, and in trying to help us identify the culprits.

"We will review footage and, if we can identify the individuals involved, we will follow that up with the relevant authorities."

It is the latest flare incident at a United game, whose recent FA Cup tie at St Albans City also saw several of the items thrown onto the pitch.

The National League South club have yet to comment on their investigation having said they were discussing the incidents with stewards and police.

The Blues' game at Exeter last season was also held up for an hour after a smoke grenade was lit in a toilet block at St James' Park, causing a stand to be evacuated.

Last season United reminded fans that the use of pyrotechnics in a stadium is an offence. The devices burn at temperatures of 1,600 degrees celsius.