Wisbech Town manager Dick Creasey is fuming that his side’s clash with AFC Rushden and Diamonds was not called off at half time due to a waterlogged pitch.

A deluge which started midway through the first half turned the Elgood’s Fenland Stadium into a swimming pool but the referee decided to let the game continue.

United Counties League leaders Rushden, despite having three men sent off, ran out 3-1 winners. Josh Ford grabbed Wisbech’s goal with a powerful free-kick which flew into the bottom left hand corner.

The pitch is still so waterlogged that vice chairman Dave Parsons, who serves as groundsman, has still not been able to assess the scale of the damage.

Creasey said: “I was disappointed that we conceded three sloppy goals - you can’t give a team like Rushden a three goal head start.

“They may have been down to eight men but the conditions were so horrific it made the game a lottery.

“I’m angry that the referee continued the game after half time. There were more areas under water than not. He got it totally wrong.

“I will go on record to say that I would have given Rushden the three points at half time (Rushden led 2-0) to not ruin our pitch.

“The pitch is Dave Parsons’ pride and joy but it is so wet he’s not been able to go on it. The forecast for the rest of the week is not good. But if anything can fix it, it’s him.”

Wisbech are on the road at AFC Kempston Rovers, who will be buoyed by a good win over Thurnby Nirvana last weekend, in the UCL on Saturday.

Scott Johnson and Steven Reid are both at a wedding. Otherwise, Creasey has a full squad to choose from for what he expects to a “very tough” game.

He said: “Kempston are on a good run so it will be a very tough game but they have a nice pitch, which will suit us.

“All good runs must come to an end (the Rushden loss ended an eight game unbeaten streak) so we will dust ourselves down and set about starting another one.”