Monday 4 April 2016 22:13, UK
Manchester Thunder head coach Dan Ryan refused to question the decision to postpone the top-of-the table clash with Hertfordshire Mavericks.
A leak in the roof at the Thunderdome had delayed the start of the Vitality Netball Superleague match and hosts Manchester were leading 14-9 at the end of the first quarter when officials halted the action due to safety concerns about the wet court.
The postponement meant leaders Manchester remain tied on 27 points with the second-placed Mavericks, who can move top of the table with a win over Yorkshire Jets on Monday night, live on Sky Sports.
Ryan insisted he respected the umpires' concerns, despite the willingness of both sets of players to continue the match.
"Players' safety is the most important thing," Ryan told Sky Sports. "It's the umpires' call and they made that decision.
"From our knowledge, the Mavericks were happy to keep playing, our girls were happy to keep playing. But it was the umpires who made the call and they have the authority to do that, so we have to stand by what they call in the end and the decision stands.
But if umpires see reason to be concerned for players' safety, then they have the authority to do that and we respect the decision that they made.
"Whether it was the correct call or not, I'm not too sure, the players were happy to keep playing. But if umpires see reason to be concerned for players' safety, then they have the authority to do that and we respect the decision that they made.
"We were disappointed not to finish the game. We started well and were playing well in the first quarter, so we were quite keen to push on and see what we could do with the game."
The match must now be rescheduled during the hectic closing weeks of the campaign and Ryan admits he understands the dismay of the fans, who were hoping to see a competitive clash.
"Both teams were fighting for top spot, so there was plenty to play for, and it's disappointing that we could not see the game through," said Ryan.
"A lot of people travel from many different regions and areas to come and watch the game. To only see 15 minutes of it, no doubt they would have been disgruntled, but at the end of the day, you cannot change what happened."
Watch the Mavericks against the Jets this Monday night, from 7.30pm on Sky Sports 2.
