{ the news }
 
An independent supporters' website dedicated to Mansfield Town FC
Archived News from December 2009

GAME OFF AS WREXHAM DISGRACE THEMSELVES
21st December 2009 17:53


In a complete disregard for travelling Mansfield Town fans, Wrexham delayed postponing today's game until 11.42am

Mansfield supporters coaches set off at 10.30am (a fact known by Wrexham FC). Other fans had to set off even earlier).

A total and utter disgrace, in my opinion.

by Martin Shaw

Selected twitters:

PerryMTFC: That has just cost the club £1000: coach and pre match meal.

Matchtalk: So they call the game off just before 1200. Still, I really enjoyed my trip to the outskirts of Stoke and back.

shawma1 (at 10.00am): Pitch inspection midday. An absolute disgrace. The days of total disregard for visiting fans were supposed to have been outlawed

------------------

from:
http://www.wrexhamafc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10311~1909615,00.html?

Posted on: Sat 19 Dec 2009 at 11.42am
11.30am - GAME OFF!

It has been a frustrating time for players, officials and supporters - but in the end it was the right decision to call off today's match.

Temperatures had risen above freezing, but only just and it was not enough to take the frost out of the surface of the pitch.

Both managers were in agreement, so the referee made the call and postponed the fixture.

Looking at new dates, while we have a free Saturday on 9 January, Mansfield have aleady re-arranged a home game with Luton Town, so we will have to find a suitable alternative.

This our first home postponement since April 2005, when we lost the game against Brentford - due to a late downpour!

11.15am - Hope to have Mansfield here for midday to make a final decison.

Dean Saunders has been on the pitch and while it's hard, the Yale Stand side is better - but the problem comes with the area in front of the Mold Road.

It's not looking great, but you never know...

10.00am - The referee has spoken to both managers and they will be heading to the ground to have a look for themselves.

It seems likely that it will be a joint decision between them and the match official.

The sun is now up and starting to help the situation, although not greatly, but it's a matter of whether it improves enough over the next few hours.

It's unlikley we will get a final decision either way until nearer midday...

9.00am - Referee has had his first look at the surface and said it wasn't as bad as he was expecting!

Temperatures are still on freezing, but starting to rise, so the referee will speak to both managers over the course of the next hour or so and monitor any improvement in the surface.

It is a very awkward decision to make, as there is a chance of getting the game on, especially as the weather forecasts call for the temperature to go up by several degrees yet.

Fingers still firmly crossed, as the sun is starting to get onto the pitch - more news soon...

Overnight: Following the recent deterioration in weather conditions this week, today's game with Mansfield Town has given us cause for concern, with another heavy frost forecast on the playing surface.

Referee Ross Joyce from Middlesbrough travelled down to Wrexham on Friday evening and will constantly be reviewing the state of the pitch on Saturday morning.

It is unlikely that any decision will be made until mid morning, but the game will be given every opportunity to go ahead, as long as conditions and local weather forecasts are positive.

We did ask a local referee to cast his eye over the ground at 3.00pm on Friday and had that been match time, then he would have been happy to start a game. That was encouraging, but it is the match official who has the final say and a second night of frost might well change opinions.

Time will tell!

----------------

Wrexham FC No early rematch for Wrexham FC against Mansfield Town
Dec 21 2009 by Mark Currie, Daily Post
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/sport-news/wrexham-fc/2009/12/21/no-early-rematch-for-wrexham-fc-against-mansfield-town-55578-25435671/?

HOPES of an early re-match with Mansfield Town following the postponement of Saturday's Blue Square Premier League game at the Racecourse have been scuppered.

With both clubs out of the FA Trophy, Wrexham offered to host the re-run on Saturday, January 9, only to be told the Stags have already agreed to play Luton Town

Dragons boss Dean Saunders and his Mansfield counterpart David Holdsworth had no complaints just before mid-day when match referee Ross Joyce ruled the frozen pitch as unplayable.

Saunders said: “I was down there at 10am and the frost was still in the ground from the previous night. When the sun came out, we thought it might be okay but then it turned cloudy and the temperature hadn't risen at all.

“I put some boots on, but my studs weren't going into the ground so it was unplayable. It was like concrete over on the far side and I've got no complaints at all that the game was called off.”

Joyce, who had travelled from his home in the North East the previous evening, added: “The Mansfield fans will have been well on their way and I do feel desperately sorry for them. It took me four hours to get down from Middlesbrough last night, so I do sympathise.”

He added: “I'm as disappointed as anyone but I have to look at the players' safety first. And on this occasion after discussions with the two managers I think we have made the right decision.”

The day was not a complete washout for Saunders or his players, who instead trained on the artificial pitch at Colliers Park.

“We'll try and get something out of today by working on a few things,” added the Racecourse boss.

“All the players are geared up for a game so they'll need to get that out of their system.”

With no midweek match, Wrexham have made plans for a friendly tomorrow against Unibond Division One North leaders Colwyn Bay – which will also take place on the artificial surface, despite the manager's misgivings.

---------------

Stags boss upbeat after Wrexham frustration
Evening Post

MANSFIELD Town are hoping to turn the frustrating postponement of Saturday's game at Wrexham into a positive, says boss David Holdsworth.

http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/football/Stags-boss-upbeat-Wrexham-frustration/article-1627886-detail/article.html?

The Stags arrived at the Racecourse Ground to find a frozen pitch and the game was postponed shortly before noon.
It meant a wasted trip to North Wales and by the time the Stags run out at York City on Boxing Day, weather permitting, they will have not had a Blue Square Premier match for three weeks.
But Holdsworth points out it has given his players the opportunity to get some vital rest under their belts during mid-season.
It also gives those who have been ill and injured extra time to get back on their feet.
"The game never had a chance and it was dangerous to even contemplate going out there as Deano (Wrexham manager Dean Saunders) and I agreed," said Holdsworth.
"It is extremely frustrating when you have put in all the preparation and hard work all week.
"It was also a long journey and a long day as well to have nothing at the end of it.
"There was obviously nowhere for us to train with the weather, so the lads are back in today, instead of having the day off, after a weekend's rest.
"But you have to look for the positives in everything – and this gives us extra time to recuperate.
"Against Tamworth (in the FA Trophy), we had nine players out ill and another three injured, so this will help them."
Holdsworth has been delighted by his players' response after their road to Wembley was cut short at the first hurdle.
He added: "There has been a tremendous team spirit inside the camp.
"The boys' application has been immense and shows the character they have."

------------------------


 

Latest | December 2009