Todays game is OFF

[Adzy]

There’s been some shambolic management at this club over the years but this is right up there.

Some would tell you it’s all the refs fault that no one at the club could recognise a frozen pitch. Whole club is a shambles.

[Old Bob]

Thank you everyone involved with the early warning system. 400 mile round trip. My wife will no doubt calculate the value of my financial loss.

You make that trip in this weather with the possibility the game might not go ahead, your decision.

Stupid comment. The club has been telling us for the last 24 plus hours that the game is in no danger. Why?

[IanShots]

As I’m becoming so disillusioned with the club and its leadership I decided not to travel the 180 mile round trip today! Yay

[lowerbourneshot]

Why take the covers off so early?
Pitiful effort from the club. Indefensible

The rest of the pitch is in sunshine so that was right thing to do, the south stand is left covered because of lack of sun, but the club must have known that area was solid? Perhaps they thought the ref would not notice.
I still say the match ref should be in attendance around 9 am to make a decision then. Blame the lazy ref not the club.

Why blame the ref . The club have been boasting how no inspection needed . As I said last week its OK getting a dog and duck lge ref in but ultimately it's down to the match ref

[HertsShot]

This morning they were tweeting how lovely and green the pitch is. 1.30 they call it off. Rubbish. Back round the M25 I go.

[FloridaPhil]

The strip in front of the South Stand never thaws well.

Why don’t we hire a couple of industrial blowers for that bit of the pitch!

AMATEUR!!

Typical of us!!

[sugrues flying headbutt]

Club social media should take a long hard look at themselves over this one.

Last week it was handled well. The messaging was cautious but meant those travelling long distances were kept up to date with the (many) inspections of the pitch.

This week it seems like the decision was made to say the game was on from the outset and the referee’s inspection at 1.30 came as a surprise.

While I hadn’t left home at 13.30 I feel really sorry for fans (home and away) and opposition players and staff who are now facing a wasted journey.

Those involved in preparing the pitch, and the volunteers this morning, great job as always.

[FloridaPhil]

Why take the covers off so early?
Pitiful effort from the club. Indefensible

The rest of the pitch is in sunshine so that was right thing to do, the south stand is left covered because of lack of sun, but the club must have known that area was solid? Perhaps they thought the ref would not notice.
I still say the match ref should be in attendance around 9 am to make a decision then. Blame the lazy ref not the club.

Why blame the ref . The club have been boasting how no inspection needed . As I said last week its OK getting a dog and duck lge ref in but ultimately it's down to the match ref

I’ve never understood why a local ref is used (yes, I know he’s locationally convenient) - the match ref may have a completely different opinion (which they did!).

[Silasgoldeen]

Well nobody knows the ground better than the people who work on it every day. My assumption, given how positive everyone seemed, is that the ref had tougher standards than expected but I could be wrong. Also, and I'm just standing here now, despite the clear skies, the sun hasn't exactly burst out this afternoon so perhaps it didn't thaw as they had hoped.

[SteveyAsp]

The rest of the pitch is in sunshine so that was right thing to do, the south stand is left covered because of lack of sun, but the club must have known that area was solid? Perhaps they thought the ref would not notice.
I still say the match ref should be in attendance around 9 am to make a decision then. Blame the lazy ref not the club.

Why blame the ref . The club have been boasting how no inspection needed . As I said last week its OK getting a dog and duck lge ref in but ultimately it's down to the match ref

I’ve never understood why a local ref is used (yes, I know he’s locationally convenient) - the match ref may have a completely different opinion (which they did!).

As far as I’m aware a local ref wasn’t even called in.

[drewshotsfan]

When I say the clubs Twitter updates during games have very little bearing on reality….It would appear the non-game updates are **** too.

You can see the pitch is frozen in front of the south stand in that photo!

The club have mismanaged this big time! Is there anyone professional at the club. In fact, it doesn't need anyone professional. It just needs someone with common sense to look at the pitch and call someone in for an earlier inspection

[Birdman]

The rest of the pitch is in sunshine so that was right thing to do, the south stand is left covered because of lack of sun, but the club must have known that area was solid? Perhaps they thought the ref would not notice.
I still say the match ref should be in attendance around 9 am to make a decision then. Blame the lazy ref not the club.

Why blame the ref . The club have been boasting how no inspection needed . As I said last week its OK getting a dog and duck lge ref in but ultimately it's down to the match ref

I’ve never understood why a local ref is used (yes, I know he’s locationally convenient) - the match ref may have a completely different opinion (which they did!).

The locally based referee (“official”) is a NL official and as such is capable of assessing the situation at the time he’s called in. The actual matchday official might live a good distance away and/or have work commitments and as such might not have been able to get to the ground yesterday.

From yesterday’s club announcement :- “We have been in constant conversation with tomorrow’s opponents and Match Official and had a locally-based National League Official visit the EBB Stadium this afternoon to assess the condition of the pitch ahead of tomorrows game.”

[Fuggletim]

Well at least I only got a mile and a half down the road before I got a phone call. Alex did get it right in another thread that its down to the match referee ultimately. Perhaps the club is at fault for being overly optimistic and perhaps the Ref could have got there a bit earlier? Whatever, the game is postponed and it is really annoying that it is short notice after most would have commenced their journey.

[Birdman]

Why blame the ref . The club have been boasting how no inspection needed . As I said last week its OK getting a dog and duck lge ref in but ultimately it's down to the match ref

I’ve never understood why a local ref is used (yes, I know he’s locationally convenient) - the match ref may have a completely different opinion (which they did!).

As far as I’m aware a local ref wasn’t even called in.

From yesterday’s official announcement :- “We have been in constant conversation with tomorrow’s opponents and Match Official and had a locally-based National League Official visit the EBB Stadium this afternoon to assess the condition of the pitch ahead of tomorrows game.”

[drewshotsfan]

I’ve never understood why a local ref is used (yes, I know he’s locationally convenient) - the match ref may have a completely different opinion (which they did!).

As far as I’m aware a local ref wasn’t even called in.

From yesterday’s official announcement :- “We have been in constant conversation with tomorrow’s opponents and Match Official and had a locally-based National League Official visit the EBB Stadium this afternoon to assess the condition of the pitch ahead of tomorrows game.”

That was yesterday. Didn't think to factor in a cold night before match day, then?