Match abandoned: Crawley Town’s FA Cup tie against Bristol Rovers to be replayed on January 4

Wednesday night’s game at the Checkatrade.com Stadium was abandoned with 14 minutes to go due to a waterlogged pitch.

Referee Stuart Attwell called the players off for a 10 minute suspension in play and ended up making the final decision moments later.

Reds manager John Gregory said: “It was the correct decision and in fact should have been made earlier.

“The fans who made it tonight from both clubs are to be praised. It was terrible weather.”

Crawley had most of the attacking play in the first half, helped by having the swirling wind in their favour.

Bristol had the first chance when Michael Smith crossed to Chris Beardsley in the area but he missed his header.

Mark Connolly then had a go for Crawley from the edge of the area but the effort was off-target.

The game was played in appalling wet and windy conditions.

It looked likely to be called off sooner than it was but was allowed to continue into the second half by the referee who was perhaps influenced by the presence of TV cameras and a live broadcast on BT Sport.

Gregory made two changes to the side which had drawn 2-2 with Preston North End on Saturday with Jamie Proctor brought into the attack and Andy Drury into midfield.

Gary Alexander and James Hurst were rested on the bench.

Jamie Proctor headed wide with a good opportunity from Billy Clarke’s cross.

Joe Walsh saw a header from Nicky Adams’ corner pushed against the post by Rovers’ keeper Steve Mildenhall.

Mark Connolly hinted at how the match would eventually end when he went in for a tackle and slid from the edge of area to his own goalmouth.

Bristol, playing against the wind, struggled to get into Crawley’s half and had a rare attempt go close when Ollie Clarke fired wide from outside the area.

Kyle McFadzean and Proctor both had shots saved by Mildenhall as Crawley to take advantage of their 45 minutes with the wind behind them.

Aftr the break it became harder and harder for either side to link up with each other long enough to produce scoring chances.

The water made it hard to control the ball and also held up it’s movement.

Connolly found Emile Sinclair in the box with a cross but the Reds striker headed well over the bar.

Another cross by Adams went to Andy Drury in the box, who was enjoying a good game on his recall to the team. However he could not muster a shot as the ball got stuck in the water and was cleared.

John Joe O’Toole let rip with a 30-yard blaster for the visitors which was held by keeper Paul Jones in one of the last scoring chances before the game was abandoned.

REDS: P Jones, Sadler, Connolly, McFadzean, Clarke, Drury, Walsh, Proctor, Bulman, Adams, Sinclair

Subs: Hurst, Torres, Alexander, M Jones, Smith, Maddison

BRISTOL: Mildenhall, M Smith, Parks, Clarkson, Brown, Norburn, Harrison, Beardley, O Clarke, Lockyer, O’Toole.

Subs: Harrold, Richards, Harding, Gough, Santos, Keary, Southway.

REFEREE: Stuart Attwell