WARRINGTON look set to be charged by the Evo-Stik League for bringing the game into disrepute after they controversially refused to continue against Darlington.

Warrington manager Shaun Reid claimed health and safety reasons prevented his side playing on following a 35-minute delay after referee Danny Markham was carried off injured.

Reid, whose side were trailing 2-0 at the time with injuries to his goalkeeper and a centre-half to contend with, claimed he didn’t want to risk his players picking up injuries after the long stoppage, but Darlington were willing to allow Warrington time to warm up.

Quakers played some excellent football to go two-up with a peach of a goal by Adam Mitchell and a tap in by Amar Purewal. But on 32 minutes referee Markham, from Sunderland, went down in a heap, frantically blew his whistle several times, and waved to the Darlington physio for swift attention to a calf injury.

An appeal over the PA system was made for an “active”

official to act as an assistant – fourth officials aren’t appointed by the FA for games at this level – and three volunteers swiftly came forward.

However, Warrington objected on the grounds that none of them were independent and Reid urged his starting XI to follow him back into the changing room.

Darlington official Laura Drew and the match referee contacted the League, and were informed that the game could continue with two officials.

After a further delay, Reid called his substitutes into the dressing room, and then announced that they were refusing to continue the game, claiming his players could suffer an injury without another warm up if play was going to restart.

Reid, refused to comment afterwards except to say: “I’ve been told not to say anything, there will be a statement on the club website.’’ The game was abandoned after a 35-minute delay to loud boos from the 1,045 crowd, which included one fan who used a combination of cars, planes and trains to get to the game from abroad.

Frustrated Darlington boss Gray said: “I’ve been in the game since I was 15 and I’ve never seen a team refuse to come out and finish a game due to an official being injured.

“Warrington said that the volunteer officials weren’t independent enough, but you’re not going to get independent people at the game. People would have been either Darlington or Warrington fans.

The match referee was happy with all three volunteers.

“Shaun Reid then told us that they didn’t want to play because they were worried about the safety of their players.

I always thought that the safety of the players was down to the referee and not the manager.

“Both secretaries did a great job in trying to continue the game, and the rules state that the game can continue with two officials. But their manager chose not to.

“Maybe if the referee had been clearer on the rules when he got injured, then a decision could have been made there and then, and the players would have stayed out. Maybe there should be fourth officials appointed to all games, instead of just the play-offs.

“I hope the FA and the league come to the right decision, hopefully on Monday, so I can pick a team for Tuesday night at Spennymoor.”

An unrepentant Reid was confronted by an angry supporter when he entered the club bar. He was also escorted from the directors’ room.

The League is under pressure to make a swift decision, but spokesman Dave Watters said: “The league is unable to make a statement until the reports from the game have been received by all interested parties.”

The least that can happen is that Warrington could be charged with bringing the game into disrepute, and fined heavily.

Quakers will seek reimbursement for the costs of staging the match, which are around £1,000. They also want to be awarded the points, but there seems little chance of that, with the game likely to be ordered to be replayed.

Any decision is unlikely to be made quickly, meaning Darlington pair Stephen Thompson and Jordan Robinson will be suspended against Spennymoor tomorrow.

Quakers have signed Hartlepool-born midfielder Adam Reed, 23. The former Sunderland prospect has had stints at Brentford, Bradford City, Leyton Orient, Portsmouth, York City (twice) and Burton Albion. He was on the bench on Saturday.