By Charlie Summerbell
November 28 2010
If you think it’s a pain in the neck clearing snow from the front path and off the car, think what’s it’s like clearing a football pitch – only for it to start falling again as soon as you’ve finished, meaning a lot of hard work goes to waste. It was a frustrating day for Hartlepool United and the fans who helped clear the pitch as heavy snow coming down at the time of the pre-match inspection forced the officials to call it off.
How frustrating it was, too, for FA Cup second round opponents Yeovil and their fans, who had travelled hundreds of miles only to be forced to turn round and go back home.
The tie has been rearranged for a week on Tuesday, December 7, by which time the teams will know exactly what they are playing for instead of just the possibility of a big game in round three.
There can be no criticism of the match-off decision – it was really the only option open to the referee with snow falling and the temperature struggling to get above freezing.
Pools also have a rearranged League One game to play, their abandoned home match against Notts County now fixed for Tuesday January 25 – hopefully the snow will have gone by then.The postponement was a disappointment for boss Mick Wadsworth, who had been delighted with his team’s midweek League One win at Tranmere.
He and his players are desperate for a big game in round three of the Cup and were keen to take on a Yeovil side which has struggled in League One this season.
Meanwhile, he has a week to prepare for next weekend's home League One game against Southampton, who brushed Cheltenham aside 3-0 in the Cup, but are not doing as well in League One as might have been expected.