Up to 100 people were involved in the trouble which started at about 2300 BST on Tuesday in the Irish Street area.

Youths attempted to block the road and rival gangs then threw stones, bottles and bricks at each other.

Two petrol bombs hit a police vehicle called to the scene.

No one was injured and the trouble ended after community representatives intervened.

Community leaders have appealed for calm ahead of Saturday's major Apprentice Boys demonstration in the city.

Damien McIlroy from the nationalist Gobnascale area said it was hard to work out what had started the disturbances.

"Could it be about the Apprentice Boys parade or could it be about the recent incident in Ardoyne?" he said.

"I think it is a combination of a whole lot of things and incidents like this happen throughout the year. We have to focus on the more positive aspects of this."

There is ongoing cross-community contact in the area and former community representative George Peoples from the loyalist Irish Street said the majority of people from both communities rejected the violence.

"At the end of the day, what the majority of people want, I have been in Gobnascale Close speaking to people and most people do not want this type of trouble at all," he said.

"What they want is a peaceful week and a peaceful end to the marching season."

Meanwhile, police say they hope to adopt a low key presence during Saturday's Apprentice Boys parade.

They have warned that they intend to confiscate drink and illegal emblems will not be tolerated.