Tonight’s fixtures OFF

Tonight’s Evo Stik First Division South matches have been postponed following further snow and ice.

Kidsgrove Athletic‘s Seddon Stadium, Newcastle Town’s Lyme Valley Stadium and Leek Town‘s Harrison Park has all failed to recover in time for their league fixtures.

Harrison Park Pic: Hampton Productions

Kidsgrove were due to play Romulus, Newcastle faced Glapwell and Leek hosted their match with Market Drayton Town.

The side’s will have to wait until Boxing Day for another chance of play and for Neil Cox’s Leek Town side, they will be itching at the thought having not kicked a ball in anger for over a month now.

A date for the re-arranged fixtures is yet to be decided.

Managers air concern over fixture congestion

Newcastle Town and Kidsgrove Athletic management teams have revealed they are worried about their side’s after this weekend’s games were cancelled.

All but one of the Evo-Stik’s three divisions matches are postponed including Kidsgrove’s trip to Spalding United and Newcastle’s clash with Glapwell.

Ward said: “If we keep getting matches called off it is a major worry for us.

Peter Ward

“We will end up having to play three times a week and we don’t have the squad to cope with that number of fixtures and it is wrong that the league starts later than others because we keep having this problem with fixture congestion.”

Garner also aired his worries about other clubs and said that they could really be feeling the financial pinch.

He added: “Newcastle are ok financially but for some other smaller clubs it is a massive financial loss if home games are cancelled.

“The number of fixtures is also a worry and playing in the cup matches is good for the club financially but puts a strain on the league. We have played 13 in the league and 15 in cup matches. It’s crazy.”

Both management teams are doubtful for their matches this week and confess that fixture congestion will provide a major headache if the cold snap continues.

Kidsgrove are due to face Sutton Coldfield Town tonight (December 6) and Newcastle welcome Romulus to the Lyme Valley Stadium on Tuesday, December 7.

Cox describes Romulus performance as ‘best yet’

Leek Town manager Neil Cox said that his side’s 2-2 draw with Romulus was the best performance he has seen since joining the club in early October.

A goal in each half from striker Leon Ashman put the Blues into a 2-1 lead, before a spectacular effort meant that both side’s shared the points.

Cox said: “We had to change it around because I am trying to get results and it seemed to work out – but again we just lacked the rub of the green.

Neil Cox

“Leon (Ashman) really took his chance and hit it off with Anthony (Malbon) straight away.

“He took the penalty confidently, his second goal was a great finish and he is playing well and overall it was a great team performance.”

Cox gave a start to new-signing Anthony Malbon, who returned to the club for the rest of the season after spells at Port Vale and Newcastle Town, and Ashman said the pair have a good understanding.

Leon Ashman

He added: “It was the first time I have played with Anthony (Malbon), I was on the bench when he played at Leek last time.

“We seemed to just gell together really well – I held the ball up for him and he did the same for me.”

Leek face Rushall Olympic tonight (Nov 23) and Glapwell in the league on Saturday (Nov 27).