BRADFORD & Bingley's match at Cleckheaton on Saturday was called off due to a small section of frozen ground.

Cleckheaton rugby chairman Neil Gillan explained: "We had inspected the pitch on Thursday and Friday at 3pm and it had thawed.

"Although it was colder overnight on Friday, we were still hopeful that a section of the ground near the scoreboard that was in the shadow of the industrial unit – about ten metres up from the try-line and 20 metres in – would thaw.

"With Bradford & Bingley being a local team, we could leave a decision until later, but then it went cloudy and got colder and the ground remained frozen.

"The match was called off after a 2pm pitch inspection, an hour before the scheduled kick-off.

"Some people said to us 'Oh, you have only done that late pitch inspection because you wanted to hold your Christmas luncheon', but that was not the case."

Another team to make a fruitless journey were Bradford Salem to Moortown in Yorkshire Division One.

Salem's chairman Neil Klenk said: "What surprised me was that we were never given any indication that the game was even in doubt.

"So we travelled, and referee Graeme Hall travelled, but as soon as I put my foot on the pitch I could tell that it was unfit."

Baildon's Yorkshire Division Three match against Leeds Medics & Dentists at Weetwood was called off on Friday, while a decision was made early enough on Saturday to prevent Ripon from travelling to Old Grovians in Yorkshire Division Three.

Grovians' head coach Dan Nulty said: "Ripon were coming by coach and needed a decision by 10.30am.

"Where there was grass on the pitch it was okay, but where there had been scrums and the ground had cut up it was like glass shards."

The above matches are set to be re-arranged for Saturday, February 24.