U's not bitter about postponement

Cambridge United club secretary Wayne Purser is refusing to blame Histon for the postponement of their Blue Square Premier clash on New Year's Day.

Histon have chosen to reschedule the game in order to help them prepare for their FA Cup third-round tie with Swansea City two days later.

But Purser told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire: "I don't think you can lay any blame at Histon's door.

"If we were in the same situation we'd have probably made the same decision."

However Purser has said he is frustrated with Conference board members allowing clubs who are still in the FA Cup to shift New Year's Day fixtures.

Conference officials ruled before the start of the season that clubs in the FA Cup at the third-round stage would be able to postpone fixtures, an option that all Blue Square Premier sides still in the competition have taken up.

Purser added: "What we're more disappointed about is the Conference making the decision when they didn't release the fixtures until July."

Barrow's FA Cup exploits have also meant that Cambridge will be without a game on 3 January because of the Bluebirds' third-round match at Middlesbrough.

If the U's lose their FA Trophy clash with Histon on 13 December they will be without a fixture for three weeks over the New Year period, unless the club can bring a later game forward.