Match Preview: Lowestoft Town vs MARGATE

[P.W.]

We left Margate at 9am for this match, by the time we crossed into Essex the rain didn't stop until we reached Suffolk. However there was no pitch inspection due until after 1pm.

When we arrived just before 2pm the decision was still not made. The teams had been asked if they wanted to play, and by the time CK arrived on the pitch he was asked if he wanted to play, he consulted the team and it was agreed the match was on.

Supporters were ushered out of the ground so they could re-enter through the turnstiles.

Both teams were on the pitch to start warm-up routines, but after 10 minutes we were told the match was off (this was still about 30 mins before 3pm.

The Lowestoft players were off the pitch in a shot and most had left the ground within 15 minutes of the match being called off. There were a few small patches of 'standing water'around th halfway line, which CK claimed hadn't been pitch-forked, but the ball bounced (and rolled)on the pitch - and I've seen games go ahead in conditions much worse than that. Margate stayed on the pitch for another thirty-to-forty minutes completing training procedures - until the Lowestoft Officials requested they leave the pitch as it was 'breaking up'.

It's a real dilemma when the state of the pitch is marginal between Playable and Unplayable - but surely at Non-League level the costs of late postponement are critical. In this case the weather hadn't deteriorated between the time the match was 'on' and the decision to call it 'off'. No wonder Margate Officials were angry at the decision.

[michael]

IT WAS Always going to be a difficult game for both sides ,notwithstanding the weather.

 

That given-if you were lowestoft,i think you would fancy your chances a bit more on a february tuesday night, than a mild december saturday afternoon, when margate could prepare better;and not travel up after a full days work !

 

As an aside-have'nt maidstone simply got it right by investing in a 4G pitch ?

Where is the return on the investment higher-£600K on a 4G pitch where you can play on it 7days a week-or in bricks and mortar where people can sit and watch-or if you are lucky-achieve rental income ?

Is it too late to divert some of the funding (still to be confirmed anyway as 100% sorted )-or better still-for santa to find £600k-to invest in a 4G pitch ?

[Coffin Ender]

Not quite that simple. 4G pitches are supposed to have maintenance costs of £15k a year plus rejuvenation and relaying costs of £25k a year. So that is a reputed £40k a year. If hiring the pitch costs, for example, £100 an hour that is 400 hours a year to break even.

This, of course, has to be offset against the existing pitch maintenance costs plus potential additional bar takings from hiring out a 4G pitch. There may also be grants available to clubs with 4G pitches that are not available to clubs with grass pitches.

 

The other factor, of course, is that the Conference, currently, does not allow such pitches so we would not be allowed to be promoted.