REFEREE Rob Styles insists there was a danger of Burnley's FA Cup tie at Reading turning into a farce.

The Hampshire official had no option but to call off Saturday's third round match due to a waterlogged pitch.

Torrential rain in the build-up to the scheduled 3pm kick-off left surface water throughout several areas of the pitch.

And with poor conditions making it unsafe for players, Styles faced little alternative but to postpone the tie.

"I know this is a disappointment for everybody in the stadium," explained Styles.

"But you only had to take one look at the pitch to know it was heavily waterlogged and dangerous for the players.

"A lot of people have paid a lot of money to see the game and playing it in these conditions would have added an element of farce about it.

"It was a difficult and easy decision to make at the same time.

"The first option was to delay kick-off for half an hour, but having checked the weather forecasts and looking at the pitch, it became clear that was not going to be an option.

"Putting it back until 6pm was not an option and that would probably have been the earliest we could have played it.

"The welfare of the players and also that of my colleagues - they are participants in the game as well - is important."

As the rain teemed down in the build-up to kick-off, supporters from both clubs were confused as to whether the tie would get the green light that day.

Earlier in the afternoon, nearby Cheltenham's League One fixture with Scunthorpe was called off, along with Barnet's cup game with Colchester, prompting fears that Reading would follow suit.

Only when Burnley's players and staff emerged from the tunnel 10 minutes before kick-off, to applaud their travelling fans, did it become apparent that the game was definitely off.

From 2.20pm, Styles went out onto the pitch on numerous occasions and held long discussions with managers Steve Cotterill and Steve Coppell, along with Reading officials and safety officers.

The centre-circle represented one giant puddle, while standing water stretched outside both goalmouths and near the touchline.

Both teams warmed up as normal until around 2.40pm when they went into their changing rooms.

At that stage, it was thought that kick-off would be delayed, perhaps for 30 minutes, but it became quickly clear from the weather forecast that conditions would not improve sufficiently.

Just before 3pm, the announcement was made that the game was off, and the re-arranged date was announced just moments after, following discussions with both managers.

It became Burnley's second successive postponement following a New Year's Day washout with Stoke at Turf Moor.

It is unusual for any club to have two consecutive games falling foul of inclement weather.

One of the most bizarre scenarios in Burnley's history came in the 1978/79 season when an FA Cup fourth round fixture against Sunderland was postponed EIGHT times due to bad weather.