A KENT League fixture was abandoned in the second half on Saturday after a spectator allegedly abused a referee’s assistant.

The incident in the Lordswood versus Erith & Belvedere game took place within earshot of referee Andy Carter after 58 minutes. The spectator was understood to have called the official a “cheat”.

Carter subsequently asked Shawn Mitchell, Lordswood’s manager, if he would evict the spectator from the ground.

When Mitchell refused, stating that as the club’s football manager it was not his position to do so, the game continued.

But two minutes later, Carter stopped the game once more and asked Lordswood’s programme editor Daryll Harman (club secretary Steve Lewis was not present at the game) if he would evict the spectator.

As the match re-started, Harman approached the spectator, but the spectator refused to leave. Harman then approached Erith & Belvedere secretary Kellie Discipline, also a member of the Kent League management committee, to discuss how best to proceed.

Carter then decided to abandon the game while the two were in discussion.

The game was goalless at the time. Carter later offered to restart the game provided the spectator had left the ground, but this did not happen.

Mr Harman said: “Mr Carter told me he wasn’t going to tolerate bad language, especially from someone older than him.

“He later said it could restart if the spectator was out of the ground, but by that time the Erith & Belvedere team were in the showers, and I believe once you have abandoned a game, you cannot then restart it.

“It’s a shame from Lordswood’s point of view, because we had played well, and to be drawing 0-0 with the side that had beaten Thamesmead the previous week was a good result.

“The game will have to be replayed now, and I think it will now be a midweek game.”

Mr Carter refused to comment on Sunday morning, citing it would be “against FA policy” to do so.

The abandonment is likely to be discussed at the league’s next management meeting at the end of November.