NOT a single game featuring our local non-league sides survived the weather on Saturday and nowhere could the groans of discontent be better heard than at Daisy Hill and Atherton LR.

The two were set to meet at New Sirs in the NWCL Division Two Round One Replay but by 11am on Saturday, Daisy secretary Bob Naylor had called a local referee in to inspect the pitch and reluctantly had to call it off.

He said: "We had no chance. It was a quagmire and it was still raining."

The cup tie has now been postponed so many times that no one is keeping count.

The competition rules mean for LR the tie is almost an impediment to the forward progress team boss Alan Lord has managed to make over the past month.

Crilly Park secretary Steve Hartle said: "In order to participate in the replay, players had to be registered five days before the original tie.

"That was way back in November and even then it was postponed until December.

"With Lordie having taken over in the meantime we have had a massive turnaround of players.

"It leaves us with just four eligible who have featured in the first team squad recently.

"The league says we have to abide by this ruling. We have even offered to just give Daisy a bye but they won't let us do that either.

"Now with the game being off at the weekend it will have to be rescheduled for a Saturday as Daisy have no lights so that is yet another league game which will be switched.

Headache

"We already have twenty four fixtures to fit in somewhere so it just adds to the headache."

The postponement adds to the frustration for Lord as he has made massive strides in putting the club back on an even keel after the dire situation they were in when he took over.

But he intends using the game for good purpose.

He said: "Malc Anderton, our reserve team manager, has done a cracking job this season.

"Rather than interfere with the side he has put together at the club by including the four players who are eligible I am going to let him field all his own players.

"It will be a really good test for them, they can show me what they can do and it's a tribute to Malc."

Tomorrow night, Radcliffe Boro have a Unibond Division One fixture at North Ferriby United desperate to pick up league points and get out of that bottom two.

In the NWCL Ramsbottom United entertain Curzon Ashton in a Division One clash whilst Daisy Hill travel to Chadderton in Division Two.