CONTROVERSY marred the eagerly anticipated clash between the top two Division I sides, Heywood Irish Centre and GNG Sikh Temple.
The referee abandoned the match on 65 minutes when tempers flared and reports will be handed to the management committee who will decide on what action to take.
Until then, however, both teams played decent football with Irish dominating the opening 20 minutes and Adam Bell made the most of poor GNG defending to fire his side 1-0 ahead.
But Temple hit back with a superb 15-minute spell to go into a 3-1 lead with goals from Joel Liburd (2) and Kitson Gayle.
Ashley Flynn then scored with a penalty before the referee was forced to stamp his authority on the game with five yellow cards in what was a heated encounter with both sides looking to gain an advantage in the title race.
John Paul Flynn made it 3-3 just after the break but this triggered off more confrontational scenes as tempers reached boiling point.
And on 65 minutes the referee abandoned the match.
In Division II impressive Helion FC continued their unstoppable surge towards the championship with a 14th straight victory and took their relentless goalscoring record to 101 for the season.
They beat Honley Socialist 3-2 with a Mick Hall brace and Jordan Ellis, while Honley will take heart from a gritty performance with Grant Powder and Nikki Lee on target.
Second-placed Cricketers Arms beat Wellington 4-2 with goals by Jackie Walker (2), Wayne Walker and Dean Johnson while Craig Myers and Eddy Hamlet scored for their opponents.
Cricketers now trail the leaders by 15 points and have four games in hand with the two teams meeting on Sunday in the first of two encounters.
Gas Club returned to winning ways with a hard-fought 3-2 win against White Horse and Rose and Crown shared the points with Heywood Irish Centre in a 2-2 draw.
