HAYES FURY AS GAME IS CALLED OFF AFTER JUST SIX MINUTES

‘We have to take our game seriously’

EMMA HAYES says women’s football should be taken more seriously after her Chelsea side’s WSL clash with Liverpool was abandoned after just six minutes.

The fixture kicked off as planned yesterday lunchtime after a pitch inspection at Kingsmeadow but referee Paul Howard soon took off the players because of the frozen playing surface.

Chelsea boss Hayes insisted the game should never have started and called for undersoil heating at WSL grounds.

Hayes said: “You could see from the opening minutes that it was like an ice rink down the sides.

“It’s not for managers to decide if it’s on – it’s up to the FA and officials. We have to say to ourselves that it’s time for undersoil heating.

“We’ve got to take our game seriously. Yes, we can have our blowers and little pitch tents, but it’s not going to be enough.

“The game should never have started. Everyone wanted to get the game on but when you have got emotions of teams wanting or not wanting to play, that’s when you need a decision from above.

“The FA weren’t here – they need to be making the decision.”

Liverpool boss Matt Beard agreed with Hayes the game should not have kicked off.

Beard (below) said: “Chelsea have done everything they can to get the game on.

“I’m surprised it kicked off at 12:30 because we got told this morning that we could try and kick off the game at 2pm but we got the phone call to say that the game was back on at 12:30. I was a bit surprised.

“The temperature was not going to change. It’s only going to get colder now.”

A WSL spokesperson said: “Following inspections before the match, the pitch was deemed to be playable by the matchday referee.

“However, shortly after kick-off, the referee made the decision to abandon the match to protect the safety of the players, which is paramount. We sincerely apologise to all fans who travelled. The fixture will be rescheduled in due course.”

Tottenham’s clash with Leicester and Arsenal’s trip to Brighton were both postponed because of frozen pitches.

Arsenal and England forward Beth Mead branded the situation “not good enough”.

She tweeted: “One of the top leagues in Europe and we are cancelling games cause of frozen pitches. Not good enough, the women’s game is heading in the right direction but still a long way to go.”

But two matches did go ahead yesterday and Rachel Williams stepped off the bench to score the 87thminute goal that took Manchester

United to the top after a 1-0 win at Reading.

Williams drifted past three defenders before finishing into the top corner leaving United ahead of Chelsea on goal difference.

Everton moved up to fifth after a 3-0 home victory over West Ham.

Karen Holmgaard and Megan Finnigan put the home side up 2-0 at half-time and Aggie

Beever-jones sealed it.