BOTH managers backed referee Steve Tomlin's decision to postpone Saturday's game at Watford 15 minutes after the scheduled kick-off.

A downpour in the 45 minutes leading up to the game left the Vicarage Road pitch waterlogged.

And despite a 15-minute delay to allow the surface time to drain, continuing rain prompted the East Sussex official to call the game off.

Tomlin said: "I monitored the pitch consistently from about 1pm. It was giving me no cause for concern until around 2.15pm when the players started to warm up.

"There was a lot of surface water but the pitch was playable until about half-an-hour before the game.

"I went out again and there was so much water on the pitch that the ball wasn't moving and the players' safety was an issue so I felt I had no option but to call the game off."

Before boarding the team bus to return north, Burnley boss Ternent said: "The decision was 100 per cent correct at the time he made it. The pitch was unplayable. It was the only course he had open to him, although it's very disappointing for all our fans. It's the second time it's happened in a short period of time.

"It's really sad for the them and a big disappointment, as it is for the players and everyone who looks forward to a Saturday afternoon and a good game of football. Really it was the match of the day in our division."

And Watford manager Graham Taylor concurred: "The referee had to make a decision and I'm in complete agreement with it. I'm very sorry for the supporters but really the referee had no alternative."

Burnley's supporters, who voiced their frustration at the time, now face a likely mid-week trip when the game is re-arranged and many felt that a decision could have been left even later.

"As it was you can't disagree but it soon stopped raining and if he had left it half an hour it might have been all right," said Clarets fan Matthew Harrison, who was with a group of suppporters who had flown down for the game.