The long wait is over - Colchester United have played a League game at Layer Road for the first time in 46 days.
But even this one was placed in jeopardy by a torrential cloudburst just over half-an-hour before kick-off.
The aptly-named referee Tony Leake from Darwin only passed the pitch fit after two late afternoon inspections.
The enforced lay-off is still well short of the 79-day break between home games in Division Four caused by the severe winter of the 1962-63 season.
Then the U's remained idle for the whole of January and February, plus several days spanning December and March between the 1-1 December 15 draw with Bradford and the 3-2 defeat by Hull City on March 4.
The U's Avon Insurance Combination home game against Cambridge United scheduled for this afternoon, was postponed because the Layer Road pitch is unfit.
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