A League Two match between Colchester United and Walsall was briefly halted on Saturday after a drone hovering above the pitch forced the referee to order both sets of players into the tunnel for safety reasons.
The League Two clash at the JobServe Community Stadium was interrupted in the 81st minute when a drone was spotted above the playing surface.
Referee Carl Brook immediately instructed players to leave the pitch, as Colchester United confirmed via social media: “Play paused due to a drone flying above the pitch.”
The match resumed after a four-minute delay once the device drifted out of sight.
Walsall, who sat 11th in the table following the 1-1 draw, also updated fans during the bizarre incident, noting, “Not something you see every day is it?!”
After the restart, neither side could find a winner, with Harry Anderson’s goal earlier securing a point for the hosts.
Similar drone-related disruptions have recently occurred in high-profile fixtures involving clubs like Brentford, Fulham, and Aston Villa.