Weather rips through weekend’s sporting schedule
Two cup clashes have been rearranged for next Tuesday.
FA Cup matches at Preston and Mansfield are just two of a host of matches postponed as the cold snap looks set to decimate this weekend’s football calendar.
North End’s tie against League One Charlton and the Stags’ clash with Wigan have already been rearranged for Tuesday, January 14, by which point temperatures are expected to rise.
A Preston statement read: “A pitch inspection took place at Deepdale on Friday by match referee Ruebyn Ricardo and the surface was deemed unplayable.
“Despite the tireless work of the club’s groundstaff to prepare the pitch for this fixture, the sub-zero temperatures throughout the week and overnight on Thursday mean the surface remains frozen.
“With similar conditions expected again on Friday evening into Saturday morning, a decision has been made early in consideration of travel plans for supporters, and the players and staff of Charlton.”
In League One, scheduled matches between Northampton and Barnsley at Sixfields and Shrewsbury and Huddersfield are also off due to frozen pitches as temperatures around the country continue to plummet.
The League Two matches between Carlisle and MK Dons and Port Vale and Barrow have also gone.
In the National League, Oldham’s clash with Eastleigh, AFC Fylde’s game against Sutton, Altrincham’s match with Wealdstone, Barnet’s meeting with Hartlepool, Braintree’s trip to Gateshead and leaders York’s game at Maidenhead are all postponed.
Elsewhere, Friday’s all-weather meeting at Lingfield has been abandoned following a second inspection.
Lingfield’s Polytrack surface was described as too lumpy and it was deemed there was insufficient time and temperatures to see enough improvement.
Saturday’s scheduled card at Kempton was also called off following a review of the course on Friday morning, while the meetings at Warwick and Wetherby had already been postponed along with Kelso’s Sunday fixture due to a frozen track.
