The policeman who officiated at one of football's most passionate encounters while on sick leave from his post, returned to the line on Saturday. Peter Tennick reports.

In theory, it was not the ideal occasion for a man who has been off work suffering from stress.

However, the police officer who officiated at one of the most highly charged football matches of the domestic calendar while on paid sick leave, returned to the game at the weekend.

On Saturday, County Durham Police Sergeant Nigel Miller was running the line at Hartlepool for the home side's Division Three top-of-the-table clash with Rushden and Diamonds.

And despite a few taunts from the crowd, he found it a relatively stress-free occasion. Sgt Miller has been embroiled in controversy since The Northern Echo revealed he officiated as an assistant referee in the Leeds-Manchester United Premiership match while on paid sick leave.

Usually seen officiating Premiership matches, Sgt Miller returned to the more humble surroundings of Victoria Park for Saturday's clash at Hartlepool.

He arrived several hours before the game in a people carrier with blacked out windows, transport believed to have been provided by the Football League and usually reserved for match officials for high-profile matches.

However, the game itself was ideal for the officer to make his return to football, although he did have to endure some taunting from home fans.

In front of a crowd of just over 5,500, he nervously smiled and shook his head to jibes of "baldy linesman, baldy linesman, do your bosses know you're here?," "Get back to work" and "Don't strain yourself, Nigel".

During the first twenty minutes the 42-year-old looked edgy and after a surprise forward ball from the Hartlepool midfield, his pace looked questionable.

His fitness may have been affected in recent weeks as he hasn't officiated in a league match since the charged Leeds-Manchester United game at Elland Road three weeks ago.

He was due to assist at the Tyne-Wear derby between Newcastle United and Sunderland but was dropped by Premiership bosses after The Northern Echo revealed he was on sick leave.

He was then demoted to the First Division game between Bradford and Burnley, only to be dropped again.

On Saturday, he spent the first half running the line in the Rushden and Diamonds half, presenting him with the pressure that home fans turned on him if he quashed any positive Hartlepool attacks.

His most stressful decision of the half came when the Hartlepool forward line strayed offside and after a momentary dither, he flagged for a Rushden free kick.

Although it was a straightforward decision, the sergeant seemed to pause and give one of few indications of weakness.

Another came midway through the second half when he was at the receiving end of sneering fans after he handed a throw-in to Rushden and Diamonds deep in the Hartlepool half.

To thunderous screams from Hartlepool fans, Sgt Miller awarded the throw to the away team and even Rushden striker Paul Hall looked surprised when it went his way.

Durham Police had given the force's blessing for Sgt Miller to run the line at the Leeds-Manchester United game and his doctors had said that exercise was an ideal way of relieving stress for the officer, who recently returned to work at Bishop Auckland.

And although on Saturday, there were a few incidents that got Sgt Miller hot under the collar, as a whole the match was just what the doctor ordered and as stress free as could be expected.