AFTER six weeks without a Colchester United home game there was a element of nervous excitement as we finally headed off to the stadium.

It seemed like a lifetime since we had been there and see the U’s play on their own patch.

Covid-19 had let up and postponed games were surely a thing of the past.

With a very full fixture list coming up, it was imperative that we got the best of starts and secured the three points.

All, this of course, did not factor in the good old British weather.

The grey cloudy skies had given us a fair amount of rain mid-morning, but I didn’t think the game was to be in any doubt.

That was until the talk of pitch inspections and on arrival not being allowed into the ground until the referee decided one way or another.

Well, 2pm came and went with another pitch inspection announced for 2.30pm.

This left groups of fans outside debating the finer points of football ground pitch management, if the covers had been on and if so, when they had been removed.

They also wondered why a local official had not been called to inspect it earlier, if there was any doubt.

I know first hand having attended the reverse fixture earlier in the season how the Rochdale fans had a nine-hour odd round trip, so it would only be fair to let them know ASAP.

Gazette:

So 2.30pm came with the - by then expected – news that the game was off.

Annoying for the home faithful but I could not help but feel for the Rochdale fans, who had travelled all that way in horrid conditions for nothing.

While both clubs are in the hands of the officials as to if and when a game is called off, there surely has to be a better way than this so close to kick-off.

The travelling fans will have paid their hard-earned money to see their team and all for nothing.

Tickets being valid for the rearranged fixture might not even be a consolation as I am sure there will be some who can not make another trip, especially on a Tuesday night.

This is something that the EFL need to look at and see what changes can be made to the current guidelines, to try and improve the situation.

After all, we can all recall times when we have watched games played on far worse pitches or in weather of biblical proportions.

Salford away a few seasons ago springs straight to mind, as that was played in conditions even Sunday League would think twice about.

Away from the weather and the dark clouds of Saturday, there has been some action off the pitch with the January window already having some arrivals and departures.

I was saddened to see Sylv Jasper has left after his loan expired - he had been a breath of fresh air with some much-needed attacking fair.

The new defender Tom Dallison seems rated by the Crawley fans and some were sorry to see him leave.

And the striker Corie Andrews, fresh in on loan from AFC Wimbledon, has had a good spell at Aldershot where he had been in and around the goals.

The rain denied us the chance to see them in action on Saturday but hopefully the trip to Forest Green – third time lucky it will be on – will give us a chance to see something of them and see what they will offer.

I hope that it is all positive and their arrival brings some much-needed improvement and depth to the depleted squad we currently have available.

There is still time for more players to come in, so hopefully it is a case of watch this space for new arrivals.

Roll on Tuesday and more importantly Saturday where we will - fingers crossed - see Barrow come to town.

After seven weeks, it will give us the chance to watch from the much-missed South Stand. Up the U’s.