Match abandoned after ‘referee attack’

The game was halted after 73 minutes due to an alleged assault on the referee by a Mixenden player, who eye witnesses said had been shown a second yellow card for dissent.

Northowram were leading second-placed Mixenden 2-1 at the time with a Chris Conroy penalty and a Carl Smith header, Travis Allison having scored for the visitors in between.

Halifax AFL fixture secretary David Rattigan said: “The player will be suspended until the West Riding County FA have dealt with the case.

“As a league we cannot do anything until the case has been heard by the county FA, after which we will then decide what action, if any, to take.”

The afternoon’s events had gone far from smoothly. the key for the away changing room having snapped in the lock, meaning the teams had to take it in turns to use the home dressing room.

There was also a colour clash with both teams having red in their kit, so the visitors turned their shirts inside out.