Big freeze proving disruptive for U's (From Gazette)

Big freeze proving disruptive for U's

10:08am Friday 10th February 2012 in Colchester Utd By Jonathan Waldron

Colchester United manager John Ward has admitted the big freeze is playing havoc with his plans.

And he fears the U’s might face a fixture backlog, if things do not improve.

Ward is hoping Colchester’s League One fixture at struggling Walsall goes ahead tomorrow.

But there is a pitch inspection due at the Bescot Stadium at noon today.

There are fears the U’s could be left kicking their heels for a second successive weekend.

Colchester were without a game last Saturday, following the postponement of their home fixture with Sheffield United.

A new date for the Blades fixture is still to be agreed, while the U’s Essex Senior Cup semi-final at Concord Rangers also needs to be rearranged.

With Colchester already facing 12 games before the end of March, boss Ward is naturally anxious to avoid any further fixture congestion.

Ward said: “What we don’t want - and what we might get - is a backlog of fixtures where we’re playing Saturday-Tuesday.

“We’re already having to rearrange the Sheffield United and Concord Rangers games and there’s a domino effect.

“I’m not very hopeful at getting a game this weekend, when I look at the weather forecast.

“I’ve become infatuated with looking at the weather forecast over the last few days.

“They change rapidly and from night to morning and there’s an uncertainty about it.

“We’ve had to chop and change our plans and they’re up in the air at the moment.

“We have to think on our feet and move it around daily.

“But there’s nothing I can do about it, apart from make sure that we have the right things in place for our football team.”

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