It’s a farce as game called off after only SIX minutes!
CHELSEA’S WSL clash with Liverpool was abandoned after just six minutes of play in farcical scenes that heaped embarrassment on to the women’s game yesterday.
Referee Neil Hair stopped the match at Kingsmeadow due to concerns from both captains after players repeatedly fell over in the frosty conditions.
Chelsea had put covers and heaters on their pitch before kick-off, with leaf-blowers removing ice from the turf. A pitch inspection had taken place at 9.30am, with both managers claiming the official had told them the conditions were unplayable before changing his decision an hour later.
The removal of the covers had also delayed the warm-ups for both teams and the entry of fans into the stadium, but the officials opted not to push back kick-off.
‘ You could see from the opening minutes that it was like an ice rink down the sides,’ said Chelsea boss Emma Hayes.
‘The game should never have started. Everyone wanted to get the game on but you need a decision from above. The FA weren’t here — they need to be making the decision.’
Liverpool managing director Russ Fraser wrote to the FA before kick- off while captain Niamh Fahey and manager Matt Beard had also voiced concerns over the safety of the pitch.
Sportsmail understands there was pressure on the match going ahead as it was being shown live on BBC Two, but the broadcaster said the decision had nothing to do with them.
‘It wasn’t playable at 9.30am,’ Beard said. ‘He (the referee) said it was safe before he checked it.
‘It should have been called off this morning. It’s frustrating. I did say to the referee that we had to move our warm-up because it wasn’t safe. Someone could have been hurt today.’
Chelsea’s game was one of three to be postponed in the WSL this weekend. Hayes and high-profile players including Arsenal’s Vivianne Miedema and Beth Mead insisted that undersoil heating should be made mandatory in the WSL.
‘We’ve got to take our game seriously,’ said Hayes. ‘No game at the top level of the women’s game should be cancelled. We need undersoil heating — we don’t live in Barbados.’
Hayes should perhaps direct her grievances towards Chelsea owner Todd Boehly, who has spent more than £150million on transfers for Graham Potter’s side this month. There is no doubt that Chelsea and other top clubs could easily afford to install undersoil heating for their women’s teams if they wanted to.
The manner of the abandonment at Kingsmeadow was embarrassing for the WSL. A League spokesperson said: ‘We worked hard with the clubs and match officials to safely play the fixture as scheduled. 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 in order to protect the safety of the players, which is paramount.’