AN FA investigation has been launched into the “unprecedented” abandonment of a pre-season friendly football match after one team refused to play the second half.

Spennymoor Town feared their players could be seriously injured due to the tough tackling of their Newton Aycliffe opponents and declined to return to the pitch, causing the match to be halted.

Durham FA now plans to write to both clubs to find out exactly what happened during the Tuesday night game at Aycliffe's Moore Lane ground before deciding if any further action is needed.

Last night former World Cup referee George Courtney said he had never encountered a situation like it in more than 2,000 games he had taken charge of.

Mr Courtney, from Spennymoor, said: “I just find it bizarre. I have never heard of anything like this happening before.

"It is unprecedented, I can’t ever recall a friendly being abandoned.

“It is up to the referee to decide whether a game should be abandoned or not. If a team refuses to play there is not a lot you can do apart from persuade them and remind them of their obligations."

He added: “I was always taught there is no such thing as a friendly game, I would always expect a game to be competitive. It must have been quite an unpleasant and embarrassing experience for the referee.”

A neutral supporter, who asked not to be named, contacted The Northern Echo in support of Spennymoor’s decision.

“I can understand where they were coming from,” he said. “I think I would have done exactly the same.

“This is not what I want to see in a football match. I think if it had continued there would have been serious injuries. I won’t be going back to watch Aycliffe.”

During the match, one spectator tweeted: “This is a war, not a friendly. Aycliffe taking out Spennymoor players like your average Middle East dictator takes out suspected coup plotters.”

Spennymoor Town’s manager Jason Ainsley said he was not proud of the decision because supporters had paid to watch the match – but felt the club had no choice because of the manner in which it was being played.

“I couldn’t have lived with myself if we had continued and one of our players had been seriously hurt," he said.

“We have no problem with a physical game but this wasn’t in the context of the fixture. I am gutted for the supporters but I think it was the right decision.”

A statement posted on the club's website endorsed the decision due to the "aggressive" direction the match was taking, adding: "We’d like to apologise to the fans who travelled to watch us, which we are always grateful of, and hope they understand the reasons behind the decision."

Newton Aycliffe chairman Alan Oliver said: “As a club we don’t think we have done anything wrong.”

Speaking straight after the game, he had described the decision by Spennymoor a “massive over reaction” and added that although it was a niggly game, it was also competitive.

During the first half one Newton Aycliffe player was shown a yellow card and another was asked to leave the field. The captains were also spoken to by the referee.

John Topping, Durham FA company secretary, said: “It is very unusual. We have the report from the referee and we will be investigating it and writing to both teams.

Five of the most famous incidents of violence during football matches:

Chile v Italy (1962): The police had to intervene three times in the match dubbed ‘The Battle of Santiago’. Several punches were thrown, a player was kicked in the head, another’s nose was broken with a left hook and the two teams engaged in scuffles and spitting – yet only two plyers were sent off.

Billy Bremner v Kevin Keegan 1974): Leeds United hardman Bremner and Liverpool legend Keegan were both dismissed for trading blows in the annual FA Charity Shield match. Both players famously took off their shirts and flung them onto the Wembley pitch.

Francis Lee v Norman Hunter (1974): Once named football’s most spectacular dismissal, Leeds United’s Hunter threw the first punch after feeling Lee had unfairly won a penalty but the Derby County man responded with a flurry of flailing arms. The argument continued after both had been sent off.

Manchester United v Arsenal (1990): Both teams were fined and had points deducted after a mass brawl which involved all but one of the 22 players on the pitch. Only two players were booked in the incident, sparked by a tackle on United defender Dennis Irwin by Arsenal’s Nigel Winterburn

Kieron Dyer v Lee Bowyer (2005): The Newcastle United teammates were sent off for scrapping with each other during a 3-0 defeat at home to Aston Villa. Bowyer lost his temper with Dyer for not passing the ball to him and the row continued in the dressing room.