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Next Game: Banbury Away On Friday March 29th Kick-Off 3.00pm

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Northwich And The Case Of The Missing Water

Northwich's FA Cup match with AFC Telford was abandoned at half time with the press reporting the pitch was waterlogged. However there was no water on the Victoria Stadium pitch, nor was there any light.

The Vics, who play at the ground owned by former Chairman Mike Connett, were forced to abandon the match after the floodlights - and all power to the ground - failed after a pair of generators gave up before the game kicked off.

With an alleged unpaid electric bill running into tens of thousands Connett, who receives rent from the club to operate the stadium, arranged for two generators - main and backup - to cover the electricity needs of the main stand and floodlights for the match. Eyewitnesses to events claim the main generator failed within four minutes of the floodlights being switched on prior to the match and that, in the 35 minutes that followed, both main and backup generators were deemed to be unserviceable.

The game had to be delayed as black smoke from the failed main generator covered the pitch. At half time the players huddled in the tunnel unable to see their way into their dressing rooms. The club's safety officer, armed with a battery powered megaphone as the tannoy was inoperable, had to tell fans the game had been abandoned.

It took over an hour to clear to stadium as fans protested for their money back and against the ever-unpopular Connett. Tuesday's replay is expected to go ahead after the generators were fixed early on Saturday evening. How long they will last this time is anyone's guess.

Big Trev must be pleased.