ACCRINGTON Stanley boss John Coleman backed the referee’s decision to call off last night’s match with Hartlepool.

But Coleman also believes it shows that the Wham Stadium clash with Newport County ten days ago - which finished in a 2-2 draw - should also have been postponed or abandoned.

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Referee Darren Drysdale called the game off around an hour before the scheduled 7.45pm start last night due to a waterlogged pitch, with heavy rain in the area late in the afternoon, which returned closer to kick-off, making the surface unplayable.

“I back the referee, it wasn’t going to improve and then it started raining again,” said Coleman.

“It’s a blow as the lads have prepared for the game and they were keyed up. Hartlepool had also travelled here “ Coleman’s side twice came from behind against Newport to salvage a point in torrid conditions, and the Reds chief believes that game should not have finished.

It is the only fixture in the last five that Coleman’s in-form side haven’t won, and last night’s postponement means they must now wait for the chance to make it five wins in six games.

“It vindicates that the Newport game we played two weeks ago should never have finished,” said the Stanley manager.

“That was worse than this but we still played it.”

Ronnie Moore and his Hartlepool team arrived to inspect the pitch at about 6.30pm, shortly before another downpour led to the postponement just before 7pm.

“I think it was the right decision,” said Moore.

“I had a walk around and it is dangerous; all four corners have water laying on them and there are brick walls at the side of the pitch so if a player slides off the pitch there’s nowhere for them to go.

“The reports said it wasn’t going to rain any more but then even when we were on the pitch it started to rain again so the referee would just leave himself wide open.

“We all feel sorry for the fans who made the trip; we were here and if we could have played the game we would have. We wanted to play but, as the ref says, there is nothing more important than player safety.”

Stanley next travel to York on Saturday.