THE pitch at Rivermoor Stadium has come in for a lot of criticism this season, with Highmoor Ibis and Woodley United both suffering a huge amount of postponed games.

Having also to cope with the bad weather, the groundsmen from C&D Facilities have worked hard to get the playing surface up to a decent standard in recent weeks.

On Monday they cleared snow off the pitch and it looked good before Woodley United’s game with Bracknell Town.

However, the referee and his observer weren’t happy with one of the goalmouths and so called the game off.

It appeared a strange decision, particularly as I’ve seen a number of Hellenic League games played on worse surfaces.

With so many games off, the Hellenic League have been busily re-arranging fixtures and they must think Highmoor enjoy playing evenings, as four of their final scheduled seven games are being played midweek, including three at Rivermoor. They also have to make a long trek to Lydney on Tuesday, March 27.

Rivermoor Stadium is certainly going to be kept busy between now and the end of the season, Even if we get a long dry spell of weather, the Reading Football League and Sunday League, as well as the Reading Invitation Cup competition, are going to struggle to find dates for the games which are traditionally played at Scours Lane.

There is no real suitable alternative venue in Reading and probably the wisest choice would be going to Bracknell’s 3G pitch.

  • CONGRATULATIONS to Woodley United on winning the local round of the nationwide FA People’s Cup.

Fielding a team of 16 year olds, they emerged victorious in the final played at Goals in Woodley and will now compete in the regional semi-finals in Bristol over the weekend of March 24-25.

  • READING Cricket Club are set to benefit from Chenies & Latimer withdrawing their first team from Division 3B of the Thames Valley League.

It means the league have to restructure their divisions from Level 3 downwards and that should mean Reading 2nds staying in Division 4a rather than dropping to 5b.