Snow-go

Saturday 11th February CML Challenge Cup Round 3
Easington United v Southwell City
Match Postponed

I suppose we should be relieved that we got to February before losing our first game of the season to the weather.  And I am; especially following the League's decision to reschedule the tie for next week, thus enabling me to avoid a situation that may well have seen me miss a new ground tick at Harworth Colliery's Scrooby Road.

The game was never really a goer once the heavy snowfall that followed the Stiffs' previous week's cup exit had failed to shift.

Even as late as Thursday (as seen in this photograph) there was still plenty of the white stuff in evidence.  A good old dollop more that night ensured a "white-out".

Thankfully the CML showed common sense in allowing postponements ahead of the supposed 10.45am Saturday inspection deadline.  I'm sure our visitors from Notts would have loved it had we stuck to that!

Of course, up and down the country  - and further afield - there were more horror stories to be had caused by late postponements (and abandonments). 

Some City fans I know had got to Northampton the previous week before Pompey deemed their Fratton Park pitch unplayable; this week it was Scunny fans' turn.  Their game at Yeovil was postponed at ten o'clock. 

Boro fans also had a wasted trip - getting all the way to Portman Road and seeing over half an hour of their game with Ipswich before the referee deemed the playing surface unsafe.

And it wasn't just football.  Hull FC fans having made the trip to Perpignan were astounded to see their Super League game at Catalan Dragons postponed four hours before kick-off, while the "Oirish" contingent in Paris for the Six Nations contest were within just three minutes of kick-off when their plug was pulled.  Ouch!

However, my thoughts went out most to any hardy Bath City supporters who'd decided to follow the Conference's bottom club up to Gateshead only to see the game called off at two o'clock.  Quite simply, scandalous.
The postponements were just one of the topics to send the football phone-in lines to near overload this past fortnight.  What with Capello's departure from the England job, 'Arry's acquittal and the Suarez-Evra non-handshake, well Talksport and Five Live went into overdrive!  I'm just glad I had my Sunday fix of Q The 80s to help escape from it all...