SALISBURY will offer free admission to fans when last Saturday’s controversial Evo-Stik South West clash against AFC Bideford is replayed.

An ill-tempered game was abandoned after 43 minutes due to “a disturbance” breaking out on the steps to the players’ tunnel.

Salisbury were 3-0 up at the time with both sides down to ten men.

The Whites’ George Colson had been dismissed on 33 minutes and it was after Bideford’s Billy Tucker had received a second yellow four minutes later that the trouble broke out, forcing referee Daniel Lamport to halt proceedings.

Speaking of the incident when appearing as a pundit on BBC Radio Five Live, Whites boss Steve Claridge said: “The tipping point was one of their lads following through on one of our lads. He’d caught him twice before. They put their heads together, then he (the Bideford player) fell to the ground. He got one of our lads sent off.

“It’s disappointing. Obviously things happened from our perspective, something happened in the tunnel that wasn’t great. But I was disappointed with the way they (Bideford) came and approached the game and applied themselves.

“That’s all I can say because of an FA enquiry."

Bideford's website account of the incident read: "As things became more heated on the field, Tucker was shown a second yellow card and got into an altercation leaving the pitch.

"Chaos then ensued involving multiple players, staff and some supporters leaving the referee feeling he had no choice but to abandon the game."

A Salisbury FC statement said: “The club is currently investigating circumstances surrounding Saturday’s abandonment of the match against Bideford. For now we are unable to comment in any detail at what is a sensitive time.

“We can assure supporters of both clubs, however, that Salisbury FC fully intends to offer free admission for any replayed match that is ordered and scheduled.”

The Whites produced the perfect antidote to that disappointment on Tuesday, thrashing Kidlington 6-1 to go fourth in the league.

It sets them up nicely for Saturday's big test at table-topping Taunton Town, who surged seven points clear with a 3-0 midweek slaying of Barnstaple.