Kent football hit by big freeze

Kent football came close to staging no games at all on one of its coldest days of the year.

Overnight temperatures of minus six meant most clubs failed Saturday morning pitch inspections.

The few exceptions were the Kent league games at Erith and Sporting Bengal and the Kent County League match at Forest Hill Park.

Tonbridge came close to playing after their game was called off less than an hour before kick off.

A local referee had passed their Ryman Premier Division game at Staines Town at 1100 GMT but the referee asked the two managers their opinions at the state of the pitch before calling it off at 1415.

Tonbridge manager Tommy Warrilow told BBC Radio Kent: "I was surprised to hear it was on at 11 o'clock. We've tried to give it a go but we can't. It's too dangerous."

Two Kent league games survived. Erith Town, who play their home games at nearby Thamesmead Town, drew 0-0 with Croydon, and Sporting Bengal United came close to claiming their first points of the season.

They were leading Norton Sports 1-0 with 15 minutes to go before losing 3-1.

The Kent County League managed one game, at Forest Hill Park in Catford, but the only other game to start failed to finish as it was abandoned.

RESULTS (postponements omitted)

SATURDAY

BULMERS CIDER KENT LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
Erith Town 0-0 Croydon
Sporting Bengal 1-3 Norton Sports

VANDANEL KENT COUNTY LEAGUE DIVISION TWO
Forest Hill Park 3-2 Blackheath United

FIXTURES

MONDAY

RYMAN LEAGUE DIVISION ONE SOUTH
Sittingbourne 0-1 Worthing

TUESDAY

FA TROPHY ROUND TWO
Ebbsfleet United v Stalybridge Celtic
Hednesford Town v Welling United

KENT SENIOR CUP QUARTER FINAL
Maidstone United v Bromley

RYMAN PREMIER DIVISION
Dover Athletic v Billericay Town
Sutton United v Margate

RYMAN LEAGUE DIVISION ONE NORTH
Waltham Abbey v Chatham Town

RYMAN LEAGUE CUP ROUND THREE
Whitstable Town v Tilbury

KENT LEAGUE CUP QUARTER FINAL FIRST LEG
Faversham Town v Holmesdale
Tunbridge Wells v Erith Town

KENT SENIOR CUP QUARTER FINAL
Sevenoaks Town v West Wickham