Three players were sent off and Arundel chairman Bob Marchant was taken to hospital after his side’s game against East Grinstead was abandoned.

Marchant slipped, fell and suffered concussion when he tried to intervene in a melee outside the dressing rooms.

Moments after Grinstead’s John-Paul Collier had been sent off for a challenge on Howard Neighbour, Arundel substitute Rory Biggs and the visitors’ Rikki Cable were both dismissed by referee Darren Eaton for fighting.

Grinstead boss Tony Beckingham took his players off the pitch and Mr Eaton called the game off, which Arundel were leading 2-1, shortly afterwards.

Arundel boss Simon Butler said: “I’m distraught for my chairman. I have never been involved in anything like that.”

Butler was sent off for entering the field of play and claims Beckingham offered to give Arundel the three points.

He added: “It was all very unsavoury. I have never seen such an ill-disciplined team. There is no point in football for what happened.”

Grinstead chairman Richard Tramontin said Mr Eaton had given Grinstead the option of abandoning the game.

He said: “In my opinion the referee lost control of the game. I’m very sorry for what happened to Bob (Marchant), who was only trying to keep the peace.

“We will wait and see what the County League decide but Tony’s decision to take our players off was the right one. There was so much tension with what had happened it would not have been right to continue.”

At the top of the table Crawley Down took another huge step closer to winning the title when they won 2-0 at Hassocks thanks to second-half goals from Ryan McBride and Roy Pook to open up an 11-point lead at the top.

Pagham won 2-0 at Sidley to move into second place while fast-fading Three Bridges went down 3-2 at Redhill.

Ben Burns and Marcus Elliott put the home side in charge but Bridges were level by half-time thanks to Callum Donaghy and Tom Lyons before Elliott got his second 15 minutes from time.

The battle to avoid joining already-relegated Eastbourne United in division two intensified as the three sides immediately above them all won.

St Francis Rangers came from a goal down to beat Wick 2-1 thanks to a brace from Louis Pople.

It was their fourth win in six and boss Kieran Collins is delighted with the progress his young side are making.

He said: “We have got three 17-year-olds and two 18-year-olds in our side and all they lack is experience. But they are learning fast and showed real character to come from behind. Wick might argue but I thought we just about deserved it.”

Games are running out for Shoreham but they gave themselves a chance with a 1-0 win over Hailsham despite playing with ten men for most of the game after Kevin Keehan got a straight red in the 15th minute.

Graham Martin got the winner from the spot after a foul on Charlie Walker. Joint boss Mark Burt said: “We needed that. We have three cup finals left and if we can win them all we will give ourselves a chance.”

Two goals from Josh Coulson earned Lingfield a deserved 3-1 win over Ringmer which keeps them three points clear of trouble.

Peacehaven moved back into the top five after Rob O’Toole’s double earned them a 2-0 win over Chichester while Rye’s hopes of a top-three finish were hit when they lost 1-0 at home to Selsey.