Source: Northern_Echo
Quakers fans fume after wasted trip
Darlington must reschedule another game following the controversial late postponement of Saturday's match at Cheltenham Town. Referee Keith Stroud angered supporters of both clubs by waiting until after 1pm before calling the game off due to a frozen pitch. Stroud is no stranger to controversy, having administered an astonishing total of 58 yellow cards and seven sendingsoff in only 15 matches this term. But at Whaddon Road no players made it into Stroud's little black book as he postponed the game less than two hours before kick-off. Overnight temperatures of minus seven degrees put the game under threat, causing the Hampshire official to carry out a 9am pitch inspection. He delayed his decision until noon in the hope that the areas of the pitch in the shade would thaw, but then held a further inspection at 1pm. Confirmation of the postponement was made at 1.10pm, by which stage most of Darlington's disgruntled travelling support were either at or near the ground. Quakers' assistant manager Kevin Richardson explained Stroud's decision. Overnight there was a really severe freeze, minus seven, and it affected an area of the pitch that the referee felt, for health and safety reasons, was dangerous, said Richardson. The referee has to consider the safety of the players, the linesmen and himself. He made three inspections and gave the game the best possible chance of being on. He's a professional person and has done what he believes is best for everybody concerned. He called the game off and he wasn't going to change his mind, so we have to accept that. Richardson reasoned that Stroud delayed his final decision in the hope that the pitch would thaw. He added: You've always got that debate, should games be called off earlier to stop fans travelling But he gave the game a chance by having inspections at 9am, noon and 1pm. Everybody wanted it on but the weather did not improve throughout the day and he has to make a decision. Some people will say it's the right one, some people will argue it's the wrong one, but in these circumstances what do you do I feel sorry for the fans because they have travelled a long way for nothing. Although Darlington had no qualms with the game being off, the timing of the decision was far from convenient for supporters who'd travelled from the North-East. Saturday was the seventh postpoment of the season and last year fans twice had to suffer the financial cost and inconvenience of late postponements at Lincoln and Bradford. Saturday comes just a fortnight after a late decision to postpone Quakers' home game meant a wasted trip for Aldershot Town supporters. Both Darlington and Cheltenham have free dates in February and March, but a date in late April would suit Quakers as they already have a demanding schedule during the next two months.