By RICHARD WILLIAMS and ROB GRIFFITHS
28 December 2005
DENIS
SMITH today spoke of his disappointment at seeing Wrexham’s derby clash with
Chester City called off.
The match, the first league meeting between the sides for more than ten years
and due to kick-off at 12 noon, was postponed because of a frozen pitch at the
Saunders Honda Stadium.
Stockport referee Scott Mathieson made the decision to postpone the eagerly
awaited clash between the rivals at 9.30am following a pitch inspection.
And Reds’ boss Smith was gutted to find the match had been hit by the hard
freeze.
“It is really disappointing because we had everything sorted and were up for
it,” Smith said today. “We were going into the derby on the back of a good
result and we wanted to carry that on.
“But there is not a lot you can do about the weather and that’s life. It could
have been different it was a 3pm kick-off but there was never any option to have
an early inspection.
“The players were on their way to meet up so now they we will be back in
training tomorrow and I hope the weather in better for us.
“We will start building up for our match against Grimsby Town on Saturday (at
The Racecourse).”
Also disappointed at the postponement was Wrexham’s Wales under 21 international
midfielder.
“I wouldn’t need firing up for Chester. It is the perfect game for players like
me, the way I like to get stuck in, it is perfect and I couldn’t wait to get out
there,” Crowell said today.
Wrexham football secretary Geraint Parry said that the clubs will now have to
agree on a new date for the fixture which will now be played sometime next year
and is again likely to be a midweek encounter.
“The referee arrived at 9am, walked all over the pitch and had no hesitation in
calling the match off soon after,” Parry said.
“It is disappointing but I’m just glad he made an early decision because it
eases the problem for a lot of people, even if we were all looking forward to
the big match.
“We will now have to find a suitable date. The timing of this was a one-off
because of the holiday period.”After a 9.30am pitch inspection, Stockport-based
Mathieson had no hesitation in making his decision.
“I received a telephone call first thing this morning from the club secretary,”
said Matieson. “I was on route to the ground anyway with it being a 12 o’clock
kick-off.
“I did the pitch inspection and found that the whole length and breadth of the
pitch was unplayable. There had been a lot of frost overnight and I had looked
at the forecast for the next few hours leading up to the kick-off with there not
being much improvement.
“I took into consideration information from the Met Office and the state of the
pitch for my decision and I had to take into consideration the safety of the
players and the spectators. Safety is, of course, paramount.”
City secretary Tony Allan, said: “The referee had planned to come in early
anyway. I had contacted him after he had expressed some concern about the pitch.
He got here at 9am and had absolutely no hesitation in calling the game off.
“The weather was actually that bad that it has gone through the frost cover as
well.
“He (Mathieson) felt with it being a mid-day kick-off that the pitch was not
going to thaw sufficiently in time.”
“I have spoken this morning to Geraint Parry,” said Allen. “And we have informed
Wrexham of the referee’s decision. But there is no date being discussed as yet.”