Harrow Borough vs Dartford Sat 30th Jan 2010 3pm ko

Phil had the same mail

Its a pity the match referee didn't come in to the bar to tell all the Darts fans of his decision. I doubt he would've made it out again  .

It shows from the e-mail response from HBFC that they basically did what they could and was told to do by the 2 referees and can't really be blamed for what happend. The full responsibility has to lye with the 2 referee's, if anything a full complaint should be made to the Ryman league / FA by both clubs about what happend.

Hmmn... I'm not convinced by this ref's decision. Fair enough if between 12pm and 2pm it'd started caning it down with snow or some relentless storm had broken out but as far as I saw it, there were clear skies, low temperatures and bright sunshine. WTF did the ref expect from the weather at midday for the game to go ahead?!? 

I did make the trip on Saturday and was as disappointed as everyone else that the game was postponed.  But I feel we need to keep the issue in perspective.

The referee's job is to give the game as much chance of being played as possible - hence the late decision.  It's frustrating, I know, but that's the way it goes. 

I disagree with The 5th on this occasion.  If the referee had come in to the bar and explained the basis of his decision, I think most of us would have had a moan, but would have accepted that these decisions have to be made now and again.  There were several other games called off late on Saturday (e.g. Cheltenham Town, I believe).

To criticise Harrow is unwarrented in my opinion.

Knowing the oppositions team and fans had a 70+ mile journey to get there a decision shouldve been made sooner. Its ok for him he gets to claim his expenses for going unlike the fans. Also why say he will talk to the 2 managers and let them decide and then still call it off even though both managers and players wanted it to go ahead. Just doesnt make sense.

I am sure Harrow acted in good faith and wanted to leave every chance to play the game but
they should have known from past history that there was little chance of that area of the pitch thawing.
When I left the ground at 2.30 pm that touchline was still in shade and was never going to get any sun to thaw it out.
That said if the game had been called off at 11.30 am some of us would probably have been moaning that
they should have waited for a thaw on a sunny day when most other games were played.

Ironically as I was leaving the ground their coaching staff were setting up cones and poles on the pitch to start a
training session.

That was also my thoughts, A Prouddart.

A case of damned if you do, and damned if you don't.

Whatever we may think about Saturday's shambles I would like to say well done to the Harrow chap who replied to the e-mails and supplied some background to what happened. I was hoping that there would eventually be someone putting forward their side as I was disappointed with some aspects of the communication on the day.

The gentleman who replied has made a genuine attempt to cover all the areas over which we had doubts and I also think he has done a damn good job at trying to repair relations as well. I know we are fair-minded people at Dartford FC so I am sure we will take his words in the spirit that they were intended.

Well done for publicising the reply.

For what it's worth I'm going to stick up for Harrow...I phoned them on route to the game, and the gentleman that answered was very helpful and told me what was going on ....without making any promises.  We decided to carry on travelling and obviously were as disappointed as everyone when we arrived at 2.15 pm to find the game had been called off.

I personally don't attach any blame on Harrow...they arranged the early morning inspection and if that referee couldn't call it one way or another, what were they supposed to do ...they had to wait for the Ryman match official who obviously decided that it couldn't go ahead.... it happens 

Whilst i generally feel aggreved having travelled all the way there, I agree it's not down to Harrow but the inept 'gentleman' the Ryman league decide to appoint as the 't***ts in black'