Braintree Town chairman Lee Harding admits the winter chill hasn’t helped his club’s push to bring their ground up to Blue Square Bet Premier standards.

Snow and ice have set the crucial ground development works back at the Amlin Stadium, making it tougher for the club to meet its March 31 deadline.

But Harding is still confident that they will get the necessary work completed on time and save themselves from being forced out of non-league football’s top flight.

Harding said: “It has had an impact.

“We have lost a week when we haven’t been able to do anything at all as it has all been covered in snow and ice.

“That means we are now playing catch-up, but we are still hopeful that we can make it.

“We will be watching the clock and it certainly hasn’t made it any easier for us."

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