Torquay United v Chelmsford City - PP 2/4/19

[TUST_Member_Rob]

Wasn't too long ago we took early positive action and called a game off due to the incoming weather

Why we've left this one to the last minute I can't understand

[kerswellgull]

According to OS no local ref available to make an earlier inspection

[Dave]

I've been working outside in Shipay all day, it started raining just after midday, was light with occasional heavy bursts, but didn't stop. Have to be honest here, I couldn't believe when I got home to find people posted around the net the club up to an 16.30 were still telling people the game was definitely on, when I got back to our yard saw some other TUFC fans who work at the same place, all of us said the game would be off, poor on the part of our club, the game was clearly in doubt, local ref or not, should have telling people to keep and eye on the clubs social media for match news.

[TUST_Member_Rob]

Wasn't too long ago we took early positive action and called a game off due to the incoming weather

Why we've left this one to the last minute I can't understand

Just seen the explanation on the tufc Twitter

Okay saying that now but why not warn people!

[Scott Brehaut]

The only game off in the entire national league system, and the only full time club in our division. Shows how poor our facilities are - and yes, I do understand that our ground has been hammered by Truro too, but still, we are a fully professional team that should be able to get a game of football on.

[brucie]

Unbelievable - given the weather and the state of the pitch there was never any chance of this game going ahead whatsoever.

That's a farce.

[portugull]

I had just left home in Teignmouth when a friend phoned to say it was off.
Thank god for that.
Would have been a farce had the game started.
The League need to review procedures. Feel sorry for Chelmsford.
550 mile round trip!!

[Linostan]

In the majority of cases it is only the referee who can postpone a match due to the pitch being unplayable - ie waterlogged,snow, ice and the like. Referees and the assistants normally arrive for this class of match around two hours before kick off and one of the first things they do is walk the pitch for any problems there might be with it irrespective of the weather.
So it seems as though the officials have arrived and done there job correctly. The club should have realised that there might be a problem with the pitch earlier and called in a local qualified class 1referee for advice and to give an earlier decision. As to the suggestion of no referee being available they would have a list of qualified officials or got in touch with Devon FA to find one earlier of which I feel that one could have been found. So in conclusion I would say that TUFC have been a bit lax in the late postponement of the match.

[grockle]

Why do we keep blaming the groundshare? Other teams in this league and all around the country groundshare and do not have anywhere near the number of problems we seem to have every year. WHY?

[Bert]

In the majority of cases it is only the referee who can postpone a match due to the pitch being unplayable - ie waterlogged,snow, ice and the like. Referees and the assistants normally arrive for this class of match around two hours before kick off and one of the first things they do is walk the pitch for any problems there might be with it irrespective of the weather.
So it seems as though the officials have arrived and done there job correctly. The club should have realised that there might be a problem with the pitch earlier and called in a local qualified class 1referee for advice and to give an earlier decision. As to the suggestion of no referee being available they would have a list of qualified officials or got in touch with Devon FA to find one earlier of which I feel that one could have been found. So in conclusion I would say that TUFC have been a bit lax in the late postponement of the match.

That suggests that it took the officials at least an hour to decide there was no chance of the game being on!

[Dazza]

Because we live in the South West is a factor as well I'd guess.

[grockle]

Much as I like Plainmoor, does the ever recurring postponement of matches make an increasingly good case for moving to a new stadium?

[Linostan]

To Bert. In these instances it does take at least half an hour to inspect a pitch as it is not an easy thing to call off a match when everything has been organised and fans are on there way - especially away fans. I know because having been a Class 1 in the past I have had to call off a match on a number of occasions. Better to call it off at late notice than half wat through.

[Richinns]

To Bert. In these instances it does take at least half an hour to inspect a pitch as it is not an easy thing to call off a match when everything has been organised and fans are on there way - especially away fans. I know because having been a Class 1 in the past I have had to call off a match on a number of occasions. Better to call it off at late notice than half wat through.

Hi Stan. Many thanks for your insight. Can I ask if a club/official can call a game off using the predicted weather forecast as evidence for doing so?
I am sure the pitch was playable until a few hours before kick off but they would also be aware if the predicted weather was to be the reality then the game would be off (as has happened tonight ).

[Bert]

understood but of more concern is that there was no local ref available during the day.