Source: Daily_Mail
Frozen Britain: Weather to disrupt sport again over festive period
The lengthy cold spell is again set to disrupt Britain's sporting programme over the long festive weekend.[LNB]Two Premier League matches have been postponed on Boxing Day with Blackpool v Liverpool and Everton v Birmingham falling victim to the winter weather.[LNB]A frozen pitch at Bloomfield Road - where Blackpool have no undersoil heating - and frozen water supply at Everton's Goodison Park scuppered both afternoon games.[LNB]Elsewhere, the big race meeting at Kempton - which was rescheduled from Boxing Day to Monday - has also been abandoned due to adverse weather conditions.[LNB] Snow joke: Kempton's clerk of the course Barney Clifford checks the turf track has been protected by frost covers earlier this week[LNB]Overnight temperatures of minus nine degrees meant a scheduled midday inspection was brought forward to 10am because of concerns about the Bloomfield Road pitch, which does not have undersoil heating.[LNB]Despite covers and hot-air blowers being employed over the last few days an assessment of the playing surface showed there was no possibility of play.[LNB]The match has already been rescheduled for January 12, with an 8pm kick-off.[LNB]POSTPONED FIXTURES Boxing DayFootballBarclays Premier League Blackpool v LiverpoolEverton v Birmingham[LNB]npower ChampionshipCrystal Palace v NorwichScunthorpe v PrestonMiddlesbrough v Nottm ForestDerby v DoncasterIpswich v Watford[LNB]League OneExeter v SwindonTranmere v Sheff WedPeterborough v ColchesterBristol Rovers v WalsallYeovil v BrentfordOldham v CarlisleNotts County v RochdaleLeyton Orient v MK DonsBournemouth v PlymouthDagenham & Redbridge v Brighton[LNB]League TwoBradford v ChesterfieldMacclesfield v MorecambeAccrington Stanley v CreweStockport v RotherhamPort Vale v Lincoln CityShrewsbury v BuryTorquay v CheltenhamSouthend v BarnetStevenage v OxfordNorthampton v Burton AlbionAldershot v Gillingham[LNB]Scottish Premier LeagueKilmarnock v HeartsDundee United v Hamilton[LNB]Scottish Division OneQueen of South v DundeeStirling v MortonDunfermline v Falkirk[LNB]Scottish Division TwoPeterhead v StenhousemuirAirdrie Utd v East FifeBrechin v AyrDumbarton v Forfar[LNB]Scottish Division ThreeAnnan Ath v BerwickElgin v ClydeEast Stirling v Albion[LNB]Rugby Union PremiershipBath v ExeterGloucester v Northampton[LNB]RacingTowcesterRoyal DownWincantonHuntingdonMarket RasenWetherbyKempton[LNB]MondayRacingChepstowKempton[LNB]TuesdayFootballLeague OneSheffield Wednesday v Yeovil[LNB]RacingCatterick[LNB]WednesdayRacingKelso[LNB]It is the third home match in succession this month that Blackpool have had to postpone because of the weather, having already had to move matches against Manchester United and Tottenham.[LNB]Everton's game against Birmingham at Goodison Park has also been postponed because the freezing temperatures have left the stadium in an unfit condition for the match.[LNB]The club reported there were 'several miles of frozen pipes, many of which burst during the course of Christmas Day night'.[LNB]Championship strugglers Crystal Palace will also have to sit out thisafternoon after their clash with Norwich at Selhurst Park was postponeddue to a frozen pitch.[LNB]The club stated on their official website that overnight temperaturesresulted in a heavy frost which has rendered the pitch unplayable.[LNB]Details of when the match will be rescheduled will be announced next week, with Championship games due to take place at Middlesbrough and Scunthorpe having been called off earlier in the week.[LNB]Derby's home match against Doncaster became the fourth Championship game to be called off, with a power failure at Pride Park the cause.[LNB]A generator failed on Christmas Day, and although a backup was acquired, further problems today meant there was no power in the west stand, which contains the stadium's changing rooms and medical facilities.[LNB]The Premiership rugby matches between Gloucester and Northampton, and Bath against Exeter, have also been postponed.[LNB]The League One meeting between Tranmere and Sheffield Wednesday was one of the first of many football matches to bite the dust.[LNB]Race meetings at Towcester, Royal Down, Wincanton, Huntingdon, Market Rasen and Wetherby have bitten the dust.[LNB]And Kauto Star must wait in its bid for an unprecedented fifth King George VI Chase victory after Kempton abandoned their Boxing Day card and were forced to call off Monday's back-up day after freezing temperatures failed to improve the course.[LNB]Monday's card is now set to feature eight races, with Kauto Star going for glory at 3.15pm while the williamhill.com Christmas Hurdle has also been transferred with a start time of 2.40pm.[LNB]Monday's meeting at Chepstow, which was to feature the Welsh Grand National, will certainly not be going ahead, and has been rescheduled for January 8.[LNB]Gloucester decided to postpone their Premiership rugby match due to a frozen pitch, especially with conditions for the area possibly plummeting tominus 10 on Christmas night.[LNB]'We felt that it was only fair to try and make an informed decision assoon as possible as to whether the game could proceed or not,' saidGloucester managing director Ken Nottage.[LNB]'We called in (referee) Chris White for his opinion, and, unfortunatelyit was bad news. [LNB]'It's the first time we have had to postpone a game,apart from for fog, in almost 15 years.[LNB]'It's desperately disappointing, as Sunday was going to be a sell-outand we were all looking forward to a terrific game of rugby.[LNB]'Our stadium staff have worked incredibly hard over the past few daysin an attempt to stage two fixtures in the space of a week, but theweather conditions have proved to be too much.'[LNB]Bath's clash against Exeter became a casualty due to a frozen pitch at the Recreation Ground.[LNB] On ice: Blackpool, without undersoil heating, had their third Premier League fixture postponed this season[LNB]Former international referee Ed Morrison, the Rugby Football Union's head of elite referee development, confirmed the playing surface was unfit following an inspection.[LNB]It means Saracens against Wasps at Wembley is now the solitary surviving Premiership fixture on Boxing Day.[LNB] Chelsea can't cope! Skipper John Terry admits Blues don't have squad to handle injury crisisEdin Dzeko will cost £38m: Wolfsburg try to fend off Manchester City - so Fernando Torres is in their sights[LNB] [LNB] Explore more:Places: Liverpool, Exeter, Bath, Carlisle, Norwich, Birmingham, Oxford Organisations: Rugby Football Union, Scottish Premier League
