Kettering defend decision to postpone Stratford clash two hours before kick-off

The Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central match was called off just after 1pm, when the match referee decided the Latimer Park pitch was unplayable after heavy rain on Saturday and Sunday

An initial inspection had been made at 11am, when it was decided to give the Kettering groundstaff extra time to work on the pitch and make it playable.

Those efforts were to no avail however, as the referee called the game off after the second inspection.

There was some criticism on social media at the decision being left so late, and the club issed a statement on X.

It read: "We are obviously disappointed that we cannot get a game on today.

"However the club, itself, cannot call the game off and sought advice from the matchday referee, who advised at 11am that he would undertake a further pitch inspection at 1pm.

"Our ground staff then worked tirelessly, and did everything they could to get the pitch playable in those two extra hours, as they had been since 8am.

"The referee then returned at 1pm and made the decision that the pitch was still unplayable despite this hard work."

The Poppies had been hoping to bounce back from their 6-0 Boxing Day mauling at the hands of St Ives, but will now have to wait until Saturday to do that when they are scheduled to travel to second-placed Needham Market.

Kettering's inactivity on New Year's Day means they remain in the relegation zone.