What a frustrating week for Hendon. Following more rain, Tuesday's FA Trophy third round replay with Cambridge City was called off for the second time. It was the fourth postponement at Claremont Road in eight days, and the teams will be back to try to settle the tie on Tuesday.
Disappointed secretary Graham Etchell said: "Eighty per cent of the pitch was OK, but there was an area that was very wet, and a lengthy attempt to put it right proved in vain."
Glass on the pitch caused the first cancellation of the week the FA Trophy replay last Tuesday. The glass had got into a large container of sand which had been used to dry the pitch out but, under the glare of the floodlights, it was clearly visible and the referee had no choice but to call the game off.
On Wednesday morning the contractors sent several men to the ground, and they went through the arduous task of removing all the sand, and, with it, the glass.
After working throughout Wednesday, club officials walked the pitch in the evening under the floodlights to see if they could find more glass.
At first light on Thursday morning, the groundstaff returned and spent another five hours scouring the pitch for any remaining fragments.
They were working to a deadline as the Ryman League had ordered the match referee for the League Cup tie with Aldershot to do a lunchtime inspection on the day of the game.
He made a very careful inspection and ruled that the pitch was safe, but borderline playable because of waterlogging.
The afternoon downpour meant that the referee made a return journey four hours later and spent very little time deliberating before calling off the tie. Corinthian Casuals await the winners in round three. Depending on the weather the League Cup tie against Aldershot will go ahead tonight (Thursday).
Saturday's game with Braintree Town was also postponed due to the waterlogging.
Last season, heavy rains in an exceptionally wet autumn caused several postponements at Claremont Road. "But the problem isn't anything like as serious," said Mr Etchell.
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