THE controversy over Gosforth playing on an artificial pitch at the old Newcastle Blue Star football ground resulted in Saturday's Durham and Northumberland division one match against Stockton being postponed.

As a former Gosforth player in the days before Newcastle took over, Falcons' owner Dave Thompson has arranged for his old club to play at Blue Star, who are to play their games at Kingston Park this season.

Since relaunching at the bottom of the D and N leagues, Gosforth have played at Northumbria University's Bullocksteads ground, but that will not be regularly available on Saturdays as a Team Northumbria has been admitted to D and N Three.

Stockton were informed of the switch six weeks ago, but were advised that the match could be played at Bullocksteads if they objected, which they duly did as they didn't wish to be cast in the role of guinea pigs.

They travelled under the impression that after changing at Blue Star they would be playing at Bullocksteads, only to find that Gosforth insisted on playing on the artificial pitch and the referee declined to get involved.

It is understood that an RFU committee meeting tomorrow will decide whether to authorise the use of artificial pitches, and if it is rubber-stamped Stockton expect to be told to play the game at Blue Star later in the season.