Early FA Trophy postponement lands backing of York City manager (From York Press)

Early FA Trophy postponement lands backing of York City manager

12:00pm Tuesday 7th February 2012 in Sport

York City manager Gary Mills

YORK City manager Gary Mills welcomed the decision to call off tonight’s rearranged FA Trophy home clash with Ebbsfleet more than 30 hours before the scheduled kick off.

The match was postponed yesterday lunch time due to a snow-covered pitch and public safety concerns and will now be played next Tuesday, February 14.

Mills believes the early call was sensible for both clubs after admitting he sympathised with Fleet boss Liam Daish’s frustrations when Saturday’s original match failed a pitch inspection just two-and-a-half hours before kick off.

Many visiting fans had already completed five-hour journeys to get to that game while Daish and his players had set off on the 220-mile trek the day before for an overnight stay after the referee decided to wait a further 24 hours having looked at the playing surface on Friday afternoon.

Speaking about yesterday’s postponement, Mills, said: “I don’t think there was any other choice to be made really.

“The snow won’t lift off the pitch in time and it will only freeze again so we didn’t want to be in the same boat with people travelling up for the match only for it to be off again.

“I also think it’s better for both teams mentally, as it is difficult to prepare when you don’t know whether a match will be on or off.”

Daish believed his team made a wasted trip on Friday, saying: “I really don’t know what was supposed to change in 24 hours.”

City chief Mills also felt the matter could have been handled better by the refeee, adding: “Maybe it could have been called off earlier but we got the referee in on Friday and he’s the one who wanted to wait until the next day.

“We are guided by him but I can understand Liam Daish’s frustration because we’ve all been there and I would have felt the same if I was him.

“They had prepared in the right manner for a game and then the decision whether you play or not is taken out of your hands.”