COLCHESTER United's home League Two game with Grimsby Town has been postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

Referee Carl Brook called the match off just before 6.15pm tonight, after areas of the JobServe Community Stadium pitch were left unplayable due to heavy rain in North Essex today.

Colchester's groundstaff and stewards did their best to ensure the pitch was playable but the decision was taken to call the game off, after a thorough inspection.

A new date will now have to be arranged to play the game.

Colchester's players trained at the club's indoor dome in Tiptree tonight, as thoughts now turn to their home clash with Accrington Stanley, on Saturday.

Colchester head coach Danny Cowley said: "It was a big disappointment for us.

"We were really looking forward to the game.

"I feel so sorry for the supporters, our Colchester United supporters and also the Grimsby Town supporters who I know would have travelled in their numbers today.

"We'd got the pitch into a really good place and mid-afternoon, Nicky actually came over and looked at it and it was in a good place.

Gazette:

"And then just that additional rain that we've had since then has been too much and I just think under ground, it's saturated and there's nowhere for the water to go.

"It's just too soft and the referee feels that player safety would be a huge concern and as a consequence, he's called the game off.

"Carl (Brook) is a good guy and he wanted to play; we all wanted to play - the staff, ourselves, the match officials - we all really wanted for the game to go ahead and that's why we gave it as long as we could.

"The EFL were keen for us to make a decision before 6.15pm and when the ground was opening.

"If we'd have played tonight, with the surface water that's on the pitch, it would have obviously had a negative effect, going into the weekend.

"My emotion, my feeling, is just with the supporters because I'm a supporter myself and I've lived this myself as a young person.

"You really look forward to a game particularly those who have travelled so far and my heart goes out to them.

"Frustrating for us as players and staff and we'd done our preparation but my feelings are for the supporters."