"It's probably right on the borderline of dangerous" - Halifax and Hartlepool managers react to postponement

The match was originally scheduled for January 2 but was postponed due to a frozen pitch, the same fate that led to it being called off again tonight (Tuesday).

A pitch inspection was originally planned for 1pm today (Tuesday) before being cancelled and the game being declared on at 9.30am.

But after temperatures dropped during late afternoon, referee Andrew Miller deemed the pitch unplayable.

"It's frustrating but there's not really anything we can do about it," said Town boss Pete Wild, who said it was probably the right decision to postpone the game.

"The pitch was playable throughout the day, and as the day's gone on it's frozen up, and there isn't a lot you can do about that.

"We're both frustrated, we're all here, we all want to get on with it, but there's nothing we can do about it. At least it proves to Hartlepool we're not messing them about like they thought we were last time."

Hartlepool boss Dave Challinor said: "The way things work, especially at this time of year but in the current climate, unfortunately you've got to accept and expect that you might have to change your plans pretty quickly and things unfortunately may go ahead or not go ahead, and that's the case tonight."

Challinor added: "I got a phone call yesterday afternoon telling me there was a pitch inspection, which I was really surprised about with the climate there's been.

"Got a phone call this morning at eight o'clock to say the pitch inspection had been cancelled and the game was definitely going ahead.

"The area where the groundsman was struggling to get his fork in yesterday he could get in comfortably, so you expect that you're going to get a game.

"We got here at quarter past two, set the changing room up, came out and had a look at the pitch, the right hand end as you come out of the tunnel was fine, there seemed no concern with the pitch in the area that was under the covers because they're there to do a job.

"We went for our pre-match meal, came back, set-up. We came out and had a look and once you did it was obvious to see.

"The area that hasn't recovered is crispy. It's probably right on the borderline of dangerous, and you could potentially get away with it. But the areas under the covers are rock solid and dangerous, and it falls upon the referee to make a decision about player safety.

"In normal circumstances, referees may ask our opinions as managers as to what we think, but he said 'the game's off, simple as that', which is his prerogative.

"There wasn't really a decision to be made."