Stirling Observer

RAGE AT THE ROCK

Binos furious at Sons over yet another last-gasp call-off

- STUART MCFARLANE

Furious Stirling Albion chiefs have hit out at promotion rivals Dumbarton after the Binos suffered a second 11th-hour postponeme­nt at the Rock this season on Tuesday night.

The original fixture back in January had been cancelled shortly before kick-off after a late inspection was called, with the Binos squad and many supporters on their way to the stadium.

Frigid temperatur­es in the lead-up to this week’s hotlyantic­ipated rearranged fixture had raised questions over the state of the playing surface at the Rock - but no word was given until both clubs’ social media made the announceme­nt around 6pm.

It led to a furious response from Binos fans – with many once again already in Dumbarton when the news was shared.

After calls for answers from the Sons by fans of both clubs, Albion released a statement on their website on Wednesday evening confirming the club had written to the SPFL.

The statement said: “Yesterday evening Stirling Albion were due to play Dumbarton away with a kick-off at 7.45pm.

“The club were informed by our team manager at 6pm that the referee had called the game off due to a strip of the pitch in front of the main stand being frozen.

“The referee attended at the normal time match officials arrive to officiate a match but had to call the game off at 6pm when he found part of the pitch frozen and unplayable.

“We immediatel­y put this informatio­n out on the club’s media channels and informed the supporters’ club who were en route to the game.

“The arrangemen­ts for an inspection are wholly a matter for the home team, the away team has no role to play, other than being advised if one has been arranged with the football authoritie­s in advance of the match.

“We have written to the SPFL expressing our discontent with our opponents handling of this situation, which caused inconvenie­nce and cost to the team and our loyal travelling supporters.

“We will communicat­e details through our usual channels once a date for the rearranged fixture has been agreed.”

A request for the match

 ?? ?? Unplayable Part of the pitch was said to be frozen
Unplayable Part of the pitch was said to be frozen

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom