Lambert hits out over late call-off

Both teams were at the ground and preparing to play when the referee postponed the Sussex County Football League Division One match at the 11th hour.

Sidley manager Lambert said: “He (the official) was one of those people who, now matter what you said, had already made his mind up. I think he made his mind up as soon as he got out there. I don’t think he fancied getting his boots dirty.”

It was the second successive week that a game had been cancelled at Gullivers with both teams having arrived and this time it did come as a surprise because Sidley played at home to Peacehaven & Telscombe last weekend and there had been little subsequent rainfall.

“It (the pitch) was better than it was on Saturday and it was a thoroughly good game on Saturday,” Lambert continued. “People seem to forget it’s a winter sport and you will get mud. It’s not going to kill you; nobody was going to get hurt on that pitch.

“It’s not the Premiership here; if you’re going to win a title, you’ve got to win it on all surfaces. There was no surface water and both teams were willing to play. I said to him (the referee) ‘if you’re going to call it off for this, we might as well pack up and come back in April’.”

Sidley have played just three times since the end of November. They still have 22 league games and a minimum of two cup matches remaining this season, and there are 16 Saturdays between now and the end of April.