Scottish clubs battle elements

Clydesdale Bank Premier League clubs are working hard to ensure another weekend of fixtures does not fall foul of the weather as a thaw begins across Scotland.However, doubts still remain about the six games following the heavy snowfall earlier in the week with some clubs more confident than others about matches being played. The SPL are continuing to work on the assumption that all six will take place but the situation could change.Seven Scottish Football League matches were postponed on Thursday afternoon with decisions on other games expected in the coming days.Dundee United's home match against Motherwell appears to be the SPL game most in doubt with the conditions around Tannadice still treacherous for pedestrians and motorists. United have warned that conditions inside the ground are potentially dangerous and that there is nowhere to dump snow from the pitch.At the other end of the scale, Inverness are confident the visit of Rangers will go ahead with a team of workers and volunteers clearing their pitch on Thursday afternoon.Celtic are awaiting a decision from police over the safety of the surrounding areas outside their stadium, with Kilmarnock due to visit on Saturday.St Mirren have also been clearing their pitch ahead of the scheduled visit of St Johnstone and are to bring in a snow plough to deal with the ice outside their stadium. A police safety meeting has been scheduled for Friday lunchtime where a decision is expected.Hearts are confident their match with Aberdeen will survive after removing cast-iron guttering from the roof of their main stand, some of which had been dislodged by the snow and smashed through the dugouts.Doubt remains over Hamilton's home match against Hibernian amid concerns over the surrounding areas. Club secretary Scott Struthers likened the path from Hamilton West rail station to New Douglas Park to a "bobsleigh run" with police set to have their input.The matches off in the SFL include the two Irn-Bru First Division games between Cowdenbeath and Falkirk, plus Stirling and Raith. Second Division matches at Airdrie, Forfar and Livingston have also been called off along with home games for Albion Rovers and East Stirlingshire in the Third Division.

Source: PA