Stanley’s big day at home to Sunderland came to an abrupt end as referee Oliver Langford abandoned the game in the 73rd minute.

The score was all square at 1-1, the visitors, who started the day in second place having taken the lead in the 62nd minute through Chris Maguire.

Seven minutes later, Connor Hall equalised for Stanley in front of a record 5257 attendance, 2604 coming from the North East, were packed inside the Wham Stadium.

That would have been the Bolton loanee’s first career league goal in of many intriguing sub-plots to the fixture.

Many pitch inspections took place before the game, before it was reluctantly given the go ahead. But the pitch could take no more as the heavens opened in the second half.

The first half started with both sides knocking the ball around well in midfield and at the back, but both struggling to really cause a threat in the opposition box.

The first real effort of the game came to the visitors when Max Power’s shot just wide of the post from the edge of the box.

 Stanley showed their attacking prowess for the first time when the ball was played to Nick Anderton on the left, his low cross looked for Billy Kee but Jon McLaughlin in the Sunderland goal was there to gather.

There was a sign of what was to come with the weather after Adam Matthews was taken off injured after a sliding tackle on the wet pitch.

The home side’s first real chance came in the 30th minute as Jordan Clark dropped a shoulder on the edge of the area, only for the number seven dragged his shot just wide of the far post.

Sam Finley then went closer as his chipped effort from the edge of the box landed on the roof of the net.

As the second half got underway, Sunderland came out of the blocks strong and were looking for the opening goal of the game.

With 30 minutes remaining, the visitors got their goal through Maguire.

The Scotsman closed down a Connor Ripley kick and the ball trickled over the line, despite the Reds goalkeeper being adamant it hit Maguire’s arm.

Seven minutes later, Stanley responded through Hall. A goalmouth scramble resulted in the ball falling to the half time substitute who was able to slot it in to the corner to bring the tie level.

The red of the Stanley home kit was now a deep red and covered in mud from the pitch, it was beginning to clash with the black of Sunderland.

With players also struggling to keep their feet, the referee took the decision to abandon the game due to adverse weather in the 73rd minute.

Stanley: Ripley, Johnson, Hughes, Sykes, Anderton, Clark, Barlaser, Finley, McConville, Kee (Hall, 46), Zanzala (Charman, 68)

Unused subs: Maxted, Richards-Everton, Brown, Mingoia, Conneely

Sunderland: McLaughlin, Matthews (Oviedo, 17), Baldwin, Flanagan, James, Gooch, Power, Honeyman, McGeady, Maguire, Maja (O’Nien, 61)

Unused subs: Loovens, Ozturk, McGeouch, Sinclair, Ruiter