Cummings and Goings with Stephen Cummings

IT was with an achingly beautiful sense of timing that Watford's PA announcer cued up his next record.

Because just as the opening bars of Travis's doleful classic 'Why Does It Always Rain On Me?' rang out around Vicarage Road, so the sky gave way to the heaviest deluge since some guy called Noah launched his floating zoo.

"Gosh," gushed the PA man. "We are having some rain today, aren't we?" Which in terms of understatement could only be bettered by saying the US election is taking a teensy bit longer than anticipated.

In fairness to the referee, I am unable to recall ever seeing a downpour similar to that witnessed at Watford on Saturday. This was no slow, cumulative precipitation which built up over the course of a few hours, but a downpour of phenomenal intensity proving that, while it only takes a minute to score a goal, it takes only marginally longer for a game to be called off. Yet, ultimately the referee's decision was correct. When the postponement was finally announced however, the storm which had caused it was as nothing compared to the storm of invective which rained down from the terraces.

One incident in particular had left the travelling Clarets puzzled. During the second of his pitch inspections referee Steve Tomlin and his entourage approached the Vicarage Road end goal behind which were housed the two and a half thousand Burnley supporters.

Roughly 40 yards from goal, he gently kicked the ball towards the net. It travelled unimpeded towards the penalty spot, bringing a huge cheer from the travellers.

"Game on," we collectively thought. "Game off," said the ref.

Still, if Ternent reckoned the pitch to be unplayable, fair enough. In any event, the postponement may well turn out to be a blessing in disguise for a number of reasons.

Although Watford are currently in a poor vein of form, they are still a very good outfit. It would surely be better for Burnley to face them on a rearranged date, when both Lee Briscoe and Glen Little, two key players in the Clarets' success story, have made full recoveries from their injuries.

Saturday's postponement also meant a temporary reprieve for those players walking the disciplinary tightrope. Those such as Steve Davis and Mitchell Thomas will be available for selection against Preston North End.

As for Nottingham Forest, let's hope our lads are still smarting from their thrashing down at their place. Revenge will be sweet indeed -- weather permitting of course.