FARNWORTH captain Simon Booth claims this year's Bolton League title could be decided by the umpires after rain-enforced postponements across the town on Saturday.

The officials have been granted new over-riding powers this year and must solely decide if a ground is fit to play.

With rain battering the region on Saturday every umpire was in agreement and no play took place.

But when it comes to the business end of the season, Booth thinks it could be the official's decisions which dictate the league table.

“Umpires can massively effect the title,” he said.

“I honestly think that this year the umpires will decide who wins and loses the league.

“One umpire at Bradshaw can say a game's on then another at Farnworth call it off.

“There is a massive difference between taking a possible seven points and getting two for an abandonment – that could decide the title.”

However, Booth feels that some clubs would rather take two points against a title-challenging team, such as Farnworth, than play and pick up zero.

And the Lavender Road skipper vented his frustration after his side were sat waiting for hours on Saturday only for the game to not even get started.

He said: “We wanted to play but Darcy Lever didn't put the full effort in to get the game on.

“It's frustrating, we were just sat watching and trying to motivate them to get the game on. We knew we could have started it but it probably wouldn't have finished because it rained all day.

“Ultimately the decision this year is solely down to the umpire. Even if both captains wanted to get the game on it would still be down to the umpire.”

One captain who has first-hand experience of the weather affecting the title run-in is Westhoughton skipper Rob Houghton whose side spent Saturday attempting to get the game on at Lostock.

Referring to last season when Egerton pipped the Howfeners to the Bolton League title, Houghton said: “We played Kearsley and it was called off while Egerton beat Greenmount and went on to win the title.

“But on another weekend we beat Tonge by three o'clock when the rain started to hammer down and everybody else got abandoned.

"Player safety is by far the most important thing.

“It's a tricky situation for the umpires and it's all about opinions.

“It's the luck of the draw on the day. It could be crucial come the end of the season, especially as we only play each other once.

“It's a lose-lose situation for umpires as they are looking out for the players' safety but trying not to be over-cautious and under-cautious at the same time."