PRUDHOE and Stocksfield’s home game with title chasing Newton Aycliffe lasted just 50 minutes as the game was abandoned for fears for players’ safety.

The visitors, who were 34-0 up and cantering towards another maximum points victory, were shown three yellow cards during the encounter despite constant warnings about their conduct.

It has been a controversial period for sport in Newton Aycliffe, as the abandonment comes less than a month after players for the village’s Northern League football team stormed into the changing room of FA Vase opponents Morpeth Town and started brawling.

The trouble on the rugby field flared up on 25 minutes when an Aycliffe player was sin binned for an alleged stamping incident.

At half time, the referee reiterated his caution about questioning of his decisions and it seemed to be heeded as Aycliffe went 34 points ahead.

However, a Newton player was seen to kick out on 10 minutes and was shown a yellow card, with a confrontation breaking out between the two sets of players.

Once things had calmed, another Aycliffe threw punches for a third yellow card with the referee calling time on the game as more heated confrontations broke out.

Meanwhile, the Scunthorpe player who punched Tynedale hooker Tom King in the face during a match on November 12 has been banned from the game until November next year.

Will Robinson was suspended for 36 weeks by the RFU disciplinary panel. King had to have a plate inserted into his face by surgeons after the blow fractured his cheekbone and eye socket.