STORMS HIT YORK FOR £20K IN LOST TV

YORK and Fleetwood will meet again tomorrow after their play-off first leg at Bootham Crescent was called off due to a waterlogged pitch.

Hail and thunderstorms were followed by a torrential deluge that left vast pools of standing water on each touchline.

With teams of volunteers trying to clear the pitch and the Sky cameras waiting to show the game, referee Carl Boyeson initially delayed the kick-off by half an hour. But as the rain continued to poor, he was left with no choice.

It is a disastrous turn of events for York, who will now miss out on the £20,000 windfall from Sky.

“It’s hugely disappointing for the club,” said owner Sophie McGill. “We’re likely to lose revenue and it will obviously be a great inconvenience to supporters.

“But I just want to go on record and thank all the lads who’ve tried so hard to clear the pitch. The volunteers and the groundsman, the youth team players and community staff – everybody has tried so hard to get this game on but the weather has just beaten us.”

Referee Carl Boyeson said: “I gave the ground staff 45 minutes to get the pitch into a position where we could get the game played. Unfortunately during that time it started to rain again.

“The middle of the pitch was fine. The goalmouths were fine. It was just the two touchlines.

“Both managers supported my decision. This is a play-off semi-final and you don’t want anything put to chance on a pitch like that.”

Fleetwood had pushed for a Tuesday replay but, as per York boss Nigel Worthington’s wishes, the Football League ordered the game to be played tomorrow.

“It’s a shame,” he said. “That’s the first game we’ve had postponed here all season. But there was nothing we could do and I’m pleased that the replay will be Monday.”