CINDERFORD Town superfan Ken Phelps believes ’there are questions that need to be answered’ after the club’s home fixture against Winchester City was postponed an hour before kick-off.

A Southern League referee checked out the Causeway pitch at 9am on Saturday and declared the pitch playable – only for match official Neil Radford to call off the match at 2pm, after the travelling fans, players and staff made the 96-mile, 2-hour trip.

“The fans of both sides are really frustrated,” Ken said.

“It’s a funny one. There was a Southern League referee from Lydney who passed the pitch as playable on Saturday morning, but then the match referee looks at it and says it’s not fit to play on.

“Fans want to know what’s going on. The match referee apparently checked it in polished shoes – although I didn’t see that.

“We just don’t know how to take it or who is to blame.”

Ken also added that he believes the constitution of the division needs to be looked at, addressing the financial difficulties clubs face in these circumstances and questioning the fixture schedule.

“When these clubs travel so far, these things need to be looked at,” he said.

“We had the same problem with Wimborne and that game being called off. Perhaps there needs to be a second opinion in the morning.

“But the club is between the devil and the deep blue sea. It needs to get the games on because it’s losing out on revenue but if games are being called off the travel costs are going to be a problem.

“The problem with this league is that you have a load of clubs around Gloucestershire – Town, Shortwood, Slimbridge, Mangotsfield and Evesham – and then the likes of Winchester, Wimborne, and Marlow and Burnham in London.

“When we travelled to Marlow we went past two grounds of clubs who are in the Central Division. How does that work?

“It’s 136 miles from Evesham to Bashley and I think when they set up the National League South that took some of the strength away from the Southern League.

“There are a lot of village sides like Larkhall and the attendances are reflected in that. There were only 62 at Slimbridge the other week.

“Is there too much travelling? It needs to be looked at. The clubs in the south east would be much better playing London clubs.

“But failing that, why don’t they schedule the long trips at the start and end of the season? That way, when you have the local games, it’s not so bad if you’re only travelling inside of Gloucestershire or to Evesham.”