How's the pitch looking at HDP ?

[michael]

A bit of a mundane post, but forum is a bit quiet this week -i guess we have the blues after saturday's defeat.

 

Anyway, how is HDP looking ?

 

I read that the reserves are due to play their long awaited cup tie at home to Maidstone this saturday.

Will the pitch be playable ?

 

Three matches due to be played at HDP over the next 8 days starting saturday .

[hangthedj]

I've not been up there this week so nothing to report, I'll be going up on Friday at the earliest

[The Slathering Beagle]

woof woof

[abdullah]

Hows the pitch looking?

 

It looks rectangular!

 

Abdullah set square!

[Tony_T]

Abdullah, you crack me up!!!

[abdullah]

Ah, Bicester, I have some superglue if you want it!

 

Abdullah repair kit!

[Tony_T]

[Cookie]

The pitch from a distance looks fine UNTIL you walk closer to the middle centre circle then you can really see how bad it is. The waters just not going anywhere UNTIL now.

They have a de-compactor up there today covering the whole pitch. Costing around £1500 per pitch it should help matters no end. Its churning & moving the earth underneath to allow more drainage. Gonna take all day so maybe it worth your while to go up & have a look.Help is still required up there to clean a few things up around the ground. I'm just about to go up there in a minute.

I doubt ANY game would have been played on the pitch this weekend despite it not looking waterlogged on top.

With todays action(de-compactor)hopefully it will allow a game to be played on Tuesday night.Weather permitting of course. But even should it rain this de-compacting should help the drainage.

[michael]

So is the Reserve Cup game being played tomorrow as scheduled at HDP?

[hangthedj]

Reserve game tomorrow is off as te pitch must not be played on for at least 3 days after this work has been completed.

[Pagey]

Does this machine sort out the problem long term ?

[Cookie]

Apparently "NO" Andy.As far as I know it pumps a hole deep into the ground & explodes high pressured air under the surface which in turn is supposed to loosen the earth underneath.(You could visibly see the surface rise & fall again).This allows drainage at a better rate than has been. Was told it could need a further going over again in some months time.You could visibly see & smell the water(stale,as its just been sitting under there) come to the surface after having been spiked & blasted. Hopefully the weather will begin to improve from now on so maybe it wont be necessary to do so again. The answer to your question once again is "NO",it wont do the job on a permanent basis.However it will definately improve on the drainage from having none at all previously.Who knows it may remain loose under there for quite awhile now though & possibly wont need going over again!

Maybe Teabarmark could enlighten you more on this & correct me if my take on this is incorrect.

[Pagey]

Cheers for that cookie.