Cox left 'confused' by Poppies' postponed clash

The match was called off by the match referee 80 minutes before kick-off and it was a decision that led to plenty of finger-pointing from both sides in the aftermath.

The Poppies had originally expected there to be few concerns with the Latimer Park surface on Friday night but still had it inspected by a local referee early on Saturday morning.

That inspection proved successful but, when the match referee looked at the pitch with Cox and Russell Slade, who has since parted ways with Hereford, he decided it was unplayable.

It was a decision that left Cox disappointed.

“I don’t think we could have done anymore to get it on,” the Kettering manager said.

“There was a lot of hard work done by a lot of good people to try to get the game on.

“My disappointment was that the referee said to me when I went onto the pitch with him and Hereford’s manager that he had arrived at 12.15pm and at that point it was on.

“So I was a little bit confused as to why there was, all of a sudden, a doubt about the pitch.

“There were some areas that were heavy but it was probably in better condition than it was for the games with Blyth Spartans and York.

“So, I was a little bit surprised especially given all the hard work that had been done.

“Once again, it’s an uncontrollable and there’s nothing you can do when the referee makes the decision. You have to go with it and we will have to play it on a Tuesday night.”

The Poppies are due to be back in Vanarama National League North action on Saturday when they head to second-placed York City before taking on Altrincham at Latimer Park next Tuesday night.

Meanwhile, their county derby with Brackley Town which has been postponed twice, is now set to be played at Latimer Park on Tuesday, February 25 (7.45pm kick-off).