PADIHAM are waiting to hear if they will have to replay their North West Counties Division Two game against Oldham Town.

Saturday's match at the Arbories was abandoned with just four minutes remaining after goalkeeper Kirk Marsden suffered a horror injury.

The Storks' stopper broke his tibia and fibula in a freak accident and was due to have an operation to insert a metal rod into his leg at Burnley General Hospital yesterday.

Padiham players and secretary Alan Smith asked for the match to be brought to an end after both sides agreed the 3-1 scoreline, in favour of the visitors, would stand.

Referee Craig Howard said he could not sanction the abandonment of the game under FA rules, but Padiham insisted the game should be called off and left the field of play.

Club officials are now waiting to see if the game will have to be replayed but Padiham secretary Smith, who is also the club's health and safety officer, is hopeful the result will stand.

"I didn't ask for the game to be abandoned because we were losing 3-1 and wanted to get it replayed," he said.

"The points weren't what we were concerned about after Kirk's injury.

"Emotions were getting highly charged and we had a player and our manager sent off after the incident because they were urging the referee to abandon the game.

"So then it went from being a football accident to a safety aspect, and I had to make sure that everything was right to get the ambulance in for Kirk."

He added: "I spoke to Oldham Town officials and said they could have the points and they agreed we should abandon the game.

"I think that was the most common sense thing to do under the circumstances. We weren't out to gain an advantage.

"I hope that when the referee's report goes in to the league they look at what happened in the context of the situation."