Total white-out adds to backlog of fixtures (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Continuing snow and ice leave midweek games in doubt

3:30pm Sunday 5th February 2012 in Thackley By Ian Whiting

There was a complete wipe-out of fixtures for local semi-professional clubs at the weekend – and that was even before the snow arrived.

The blanket postponements were due to frozen pitches caused by the sub-zero temperatures on Friday and overnight into Saturday morning. All pitch inspections had been made before the white stuff began falling.

It came as no great surprise as most of the fixtures in the lower divisions of the Football League were also called off due to the nationwide arctic conditions.

The biggest non-league casualties were in the FA Trophy, where all eight scheduled third-round ties were postponed.

They have all been rearranged for Tuesday, which means GUISELEY will have to travel to Cambridge United on a midweek night – not ideal for a part-time outfit.

The Lions are disadvantaged on another front as that means tomorrow night’s scheduled Blue Square Bet North trip to Nuneaton Town will have to be shelved again.

That could cost Steve Kittrick’s men second place in the table ahead of next Saturday’s home game against Solihull Moors.

BRADFORD PARK AVENUE were denied a chance to pick up Evo-Stik League points when their Premier Division game at Stafford Rangers was postponed.

If the forecast is accurate, then Avenue’s quarter-final at North Ferriby United in the Doodson Sports Cup on Tuesday could also be in jeopardy.

FARSLEY’S Throstle Nest is traditionally very resilient but even that well-kept playing surface fell victim to the severe cold snap.

The promotion-chasing villagers had been due to host Bamber Bridge in Evo-Stik League Division One North.

Two of the local Baris North East Counties League representatives were due home Premier Division games over the weekend but both BRIGHOUSE TOWN and THACKLEY were thwarted.

LIVERSEDGE should have made the trip to face Long Eaton United but that was also off.

In the lower tier of the same league set-up, Eccleshill UNITED’S journey to Worsborough Bridge Athletic was a non-starter.

But most sympathy should be reserved for ALBION SPORTS and Silsden as they have been the worst hit local clubs even before the weekend’s decimation of fixtures up and down the land.

Albion, rivals of Eccleshill in NCE Division One, had their home game against Rossington Main called off to leave them yet to play a league fixture this year.

The last time they battled for points was on Boxing Day, with yesterday’s game their tenth postponement of the season.

Silsden should also have been at home with a North West Counties Premier Division game against AFC Liverpool, who they should have played away on January 14 but that was also called off.

Their trip to Merseyside was originally scheduled for August 27 but that date was washed out because of a waterlogged pitch.

The Cobbydalers have played this year, a 4-0 win at Padiham on January 2, but have now suffered five postponements on the trot.

That makes a total of seven for the season, including the twice-shelved game at AFC Liverpool.