For the football traveller it's always frustrating when the game you're watching is suddenly abandoned for whatever reason. No doubt it's happened to all of us at one time or another on our many and varied hopping travels. The experience can be really frustrating and, dare I say it, put you off the hobby for life (well, maybe a for a few days at least) can't it? From memory I can think of several occasions over the years when my footy fix has been curtailed short of its conclusion culminating in that dreaded abandonment.

This state of affairs can include the usual weather-affected matches: for example when the referee called off a game at Ashford Town FC (in Kent) due to a frozen pitch after 17 minutes (Boxing Day, 1995); when thick fog descended at Bishop's Cleeve FC (2005) on 50 minutes and when high winds brought a game at (by sheer co-incidence) Scole United FC to an end at half-time (1998). It's always worrying to see players get injuried such as a broken leg in a game at Wormley Rovers FC after only two minutes (New Year's Day, 1996) or witness an attack on a referee ie at Cambs County League side Haslingfield United FC after 80 minutes (1996) and a mass brawl involving both players and spectators at Farnborough North End FC on 76 minutes (2005).

Incredibly in the many years of football following I can only think of only one separate occasion when a game was called off due an injured official. This was at Hucknall Town (v Newcastle Town) in an FA Vase 3rd round tie back in 1996 when the game was called off after a linesman had pulled a calf muscle (amazingly on 33 minutes) and a replacement couldn't be found on the day by the FA. Imagine the look on Old Sloppy's (my travelling companion) face then when I joined him (courtesy of lift from another hopper) for the start of the second half at neighbouring Kimberley Town FC!! From a personal point of view it's disappointing to leave a game unfinished like this but (in hindsight and with a clear head) it doesn't happen very often and isn't foreseeable. Besides that we ought to spare a thought for those others personally involved like the players, officials and fans. Take today... as a case in point.

Having taken more than a keen interest in the local junior cup competitions over the last couple of seasons my footy fix today had been penicilled in some weeks previously when the draw for the Norfolk Junior Cup was made. By a stroke of luck two ties involved clubs from the Great Yarmouth & District League (a competition I had not experienced before). The choice was between either Belton or Catfield Football Clubs, both sides currently enjoying a great run of form and lying in first and second places respectively in Division 1. We chose the former who were entertaining Diss-based Scole United from the Anglian Combination League Division 2 in an eagerly awaited quarter-final tie as our intended destination.

Belton village is situated about three miles to the south of Great Yarmouth town centre and is reached by following the A143 from Bury St Edmunds. The road is entirely single track, winding and being one of few direct cross-country routes to the seaside town is popular with heavy slow-moving vehicles like lorries and tractors. Needless to say you should if heading this way allow plenty of time for your journey! 

The football club plays its games at the Belton playing fields off New Road, a venue that is right out in the sticks being surrounded by open countryside and prone to strong cross winds blowing in off the east coast. The site is dominated by the impressive new Belton and Browston Leisure and Sports Pavilion brick built changing pavilion which is clearly visible as you approach the ground. Club secretary Nathan Brown told me that this terrific facility was built at a cost of £138,000 and funded in part by a Football Foundation grant just over a year ago. A large unmettled car park provides adjacent parking space. The main pitch which slopes from left to right (end to end) is some two hundred yards away, marked out on the far side of the playing field. Needless to say it's a bit of a trek and suited to the more adventurous hopper. There are no spectator facilities pitchside making this one of the most basic grounds found on the grass roots circuit!!.

The game, played in dull, overcast conditions on a rather bumpy playing surface, was spoiled by a very strong cross-wind which conspired to make control and passing extremely difficult at times. Indeed the thirty or so spectators (mostly from Belton) huddled along the nearside touchline as the wind chill took its toll as the game progressed.

I was told before play that the visitors from Diss were missing three of their regular first team players (two strikers and a midfielder), out today due to injury. With Belton unbeaten in the GY&DL this season and fielding a full strength side including the league's leading goalscorer Liam Fuller (amazingly already on 28 goals in all competitions), the prospect of a close game was definitely on the cards. With few chances created in the opning half hour there was little to choose between both teams.

However the game suddenly changed course after United keeper Jack Buckmaster's long clearance towards the centre-circle. After 33 minutes on the clock, play was suddenly brought to a halt when match referee Brian Russell collapsed following a collision with one of the players. From my position behind the goal I could see the match official lying motionless on the ground. Within seconds coaches and players from both sides starting giving him medical assistance. As I got closer it I was informed by one of the spectators that Brian had been knocked out after receiving an accidental kick to the head by one of the home players attempting an acrobatic bicycle kick.

And it certainly didn't look too good as an increasing number of tissues were being applied to mop up the blood seeping from a deep wound beneath his eye. As he gradually regained consciousness (thankfully) the groggy official was wrapped in a warm coat, helped onto his feet and led slowly back over to the changing rooms. With no other official available to take over, the game was (quite rightly in my hopping opnion) officially 'called off' at this point. As expected a re-match was pencilled in for both clubs to do it all over again in seven days time.

As I went back into the changing rooms to return the team line-ups to Brian he still appeared to me to be totally disorientated as helpful officials from Belton FC were preparing to take him to hospital for a routine check up. It was sad to see the game called off in this way and we hoped that he would soon be OK and able to make a full recovery.