So frustrating!

Dry morning after the horrendous rain of Saturday, a breeze about which can only be good to drying out the land. We set off from a deserted village and an empty car park loaded with the newly laundered kit, practice balls, medical bag and water bottles.

Geoff Stretch and myself ready and hoping for a good game as we have 16 players stepping up to the plate! A rare luxury.

Drive to Nantwich and to The Barony Sports Complex. Superb changing rooms. Great showers with 6 shower heads and all immaculately clean. A marker for what we hope to have once the new annexe to the Public Hall is a reality for all in Audlem.

Today we are scheduled to play Boot & Shoe of Nantwich. Manager here to greet us but says the pitch allocated to us is in doubt due to standing water. Then we hear that a fit pitch is not being used by a youth team so it is allocated to us.

10.30: All players get changed. All fit a ready to to go at 10.55. Then the Sport Complex manager comes to us. Tells us the Youth Team manager has complained about us using his pitch.

1055: Referee takes another look at the original pitch. And calls the game off. This – when there were 32 players all in their kit on the field.

Very discomfabulated, we troop back. Get out of the kit. Drive back home. What a shame.

Next three games are all at home. The playing field here is somewhat better after treatment to try to eradicate the damage. Still very soft underfoot, but no standing water. In truth the grass cover is even more spare than my own head of hair. And in reality needs to be treated and re-sown. But I cannot see when this can be done.
A very frustrated
Ralph Warburton
Audlem F C

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