Mansfield boss and groundsman have their say on Bolton postponement

Suzanne Geldardin Football

Mansfield Town's boss and groundsman have both expressed their frustration at their game with Bolton Wanderers being called off.

Right: Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough

The game was scheduled to be played last Tuesday night only to fall foul of the weather and be called off in the afternoon due to a frozen pitch.But the Football League have moved quickly to rearrange it and the two teams are now due to meet at the One Call Stadium next Tuesday, kick-off 7pm.However, Stags boss Nigel Clough said a postponement was the last thing they needed amid a five-game winning run.

"The referee had a decision to make, but with the groove that we're in, we want to keep playing games," said Clough.

"We're a bit frustrated, but we have to use that on Saturday. It would've been a good time to play the game in conditions that probably would have suited us."

"We're disappointed and frustrated [with the postponement], but it's understandable. Once frost gets in the ground, it's hard to remedy."

"We're frustrated as the pitch may have been playable by seven, but the referee has to make an early decision at lunchtime."

The timing of the postponement was a particular frustration to Mansfield's groundsman, Michael Merriman, who took to Twitter to have his say.

"12.30 inspection gets called for a 7.00pm kick off, then perfect at 4 oclock, my heads gone - all to stop a team travelling one and half hours," he tweeted.

A follower replied: "Who called the inspection that early Mez? Surely common sense is to at least have another at say 3.00pm - allows plenty of time for away team, officials and staff to all travel ... crazy call (not on you btw!)"

Merriman responded: "It's how it works , I wanted to give it a chance and check again at 3.00 but he came off the phone and they had called it."

Wanderers groundsman Michael Steele had sympathy for his frustrated counterpart, tweeting: "Bit of an early call that really, temps were picking up as the day went on, been a slow thaw for us at the training ground today."

Merriman replied: "It's because you was (sic) leaving at 1.45 and they try and stop teams travelling nowadays, I understand if it's a few hours away but not an hour an half."

"To be fair to him it was hard at 12.30 but, like you say, temperatures rising through the day and light rain."

Another followed added: "Can't they unpostpone the game and play at 8.00?", to which Merriman said: "They called it early nothing to do with it being at 7.00."


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