FANS have been left fuming after two League Two sides decided to stop playing in the closing stages of their clash.

Crewe players passed the ball around unchallenged as Colchester United were happy to play out a draw after conceding late on.

The U's led for much of the game and knew anything other than a heavy defeat would see them avoid relegation.

Rivals Sutton drew 4-4 at MK Dons to seal their place in the bottom two, leaving Colchester content to see out the match at 1-1.

Crewe were also happy for the contest to end in a draw after levelling in stoppage time through Elliott Nevitt.

They only needed a point to finish above Crawley so even a Barrow last-gasp winner against Mansfield - which did not come - would not have seen them drop out of the play-off places.

But fans fumed after watching the two sides play out the remaining minutes uncontested.

One reacted saying: "I’ll be cheering every other team except pathetic Crewe in the play-offs then. Should be docked points! Literally against the rules!"

Another added: "Embarrassing."

A third wrote: "Personally I say relegate Colchester instead of Sutton 🥱"

And another commented: "I have to say this is poor sportsmanship isn’t it? I get both teams are happy with the result but where’s the integrity in it all?

"And yeah I know I probably would be overjoyed if my team was in the play-offs or safe but if you’re a Sutton United fan seeing this...not great is it."

Another fan compared the incident to a famous Simpsons clip where football players are shown on TV passing the ball back and forth to one another repeatedly.