Boro left cold by late call-off

OLDHAM Boro are to complain to the Vodkat North-West Counties League after their division game at Holker Old Boys, in Barrow, was called off 15 minutes before kick-off.

Manager Tony Mills was putting his players through their final preparations when the referee deemed the playing surface at Raskesmoor was unplayable after a hard frost.

Mills said: “Our secretary Dave Shepherd contacted Holker at 10am and they were hopeful that the ground, which was frozen, would thaw in time as the sun was out.

“When we arrived one side of the pitch under the shadow of the stand was rock solid and we knew it would be off.

“However, the referee asked if we were willing to give it a go and we said yes, but when the players went running past him he could hear the noise of the boots rattling on the ground.”

The match will more than likely be rearranged for a midweek date, which could have an impact on team selection.

Mills added: “It’s a two-and-a-half-hour trip, so to go up their on a Tuesday or Wednesday night is going to be horrendous.

“Players will have to get permission to leave work early, which isn’t always easy.”



CHADDERTON are keeping their fingers crossed that tonight’s Manchester Premier League clash at Radcliffe Borough goes ahead (kick-off 7.45pm).

Freezing temperatures put paid to the club’s NWCL division one fixture at Cheadle Town on Saturday, and officials fear the quarter-final tie, for which striker James Curley is cup-tied, could suffer a similar fate.

Borough’s home match against Mossley in UniBond Leagaue division one north was also postponed, and Chadderton manager Paul Buckley said: “We’ll have to wait and see, but it’s forecast to stay cold.”



Buckley was frustrated that Saturday’s fixture at Cheadle was called off.

The players were just about to leave their meeting point when the new came through.

He said: “We were disappointed because we wanted to continue the progress we had made last week in defeating Eccleshall.”