Semi-pro clubs are weather beaten (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Semi-pro clubs are weather beaten

5:00pm Sunday 27th January 2013 in Thackley By Ian Whiting

The heavy snow on Friday took its toll on the weekend’s sporting fixtures and all bar one of the local semi-professional football clubs faced a white-out.

Bradford Park Avenue’s trip to Gainsborough Trinity survived a Friday teatime pitch inspection but was postponed after a second inspection on Saturday morning after the widespread overnight snowfalls.

It was one of nine out of ten Blue Square Bet North games to fall by the wayside, with Guiseley’s home match against Lee Sinnott’s Altrincham being another.

Avenue were due to host Oxford City tomorrow night but that game has also been called off. A pitch inspection was originally scheduled for 12.45pm on Monday but the club then made the decision today as the Horsfall surface is now waterlogged.

Farsley postponed their home game against Bamber Bridge early on Saturday morning as the Evo-Stik League was very badly hit.

All but one of the fixtures in the league’s three divisions were off, with Farsley’s Division One North rivals Lancaster City at home to Prescot Cables the only survivor.

The Northern Counties East League was also decimated, with no games being played in either the Premier or First Divisions.

Thackley were due to host neighbours Liversedge in the top tier but the derby was called off on Friday afternoon.

Albion Sports confirmed the same day that Horsfall Stadium, the ground they share with Park Avenue, would not be able to stage their Division One home game against Yorkshire Amateur.

Eccleshill United’s trip to Grimsby Borough was not called off until Saturday. Eagles football chairman Adrian Benson said: “It was not because of snow. The Grimsby officials told us there was hardly any but the pitch was frozen solid.

“So that means a midweek evening trip to Grimsby at some point in the near future.”

Silsden were informed on Friday not to make the journey to Ashton Athletic for their North West Counties League Premier Division clash.

Brighouse Town were the only local non-league side to see any action but they bowed out of the FA Vase with a 2-1 defeat at Newport (Isle of Wight).