Fuming supporters lash out as crucial clash abandoned after less than 10 minutes
Bolton fans have been left furious after their crucial League One game against Cambridge was postponed inside 10 minutes due to a waterlogged pitch.
Heavy rain fell before kick-off at the Cledara Abbey Stadium but the pitch was deemed playable after referee David Rock assessed the surface with the Cambridge ground staff. The game eventually got underway, but as the rain continued to pour, standing water started to form on areas of the pitch which impacted the roll of the ball.
This caused Rock to stop the game in the ninth minute after discussions with Cambridge boss Neil Harris and Bolton manager Ian Evatt. Rock then called both sets of players into the tunnel. Despite the best efforts of Cambridge groundsman Ian Darler and his team, the surface was deemed unplayable following a further inspection at 8:10pm - around 25 minutes after the match had started.
Bolton tweeted: "Tonight's game has been abandoned due to a waterlogged pitch. Thank you for your brilliant support following us this evening and have a safe trip home."
"Tonight's game has been postponed due to extreme weather resulting in a waterlogged pitch," Cambridge tweeted. "Tickets for the game will remain valid for the rescheduled fixture. We apologise for the inconvenience caused and wish everyone a safe journey home."
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After the announcement was made, Bolton fans reacted angrily. Wanderers had made the 400-mile round trip down to Cambridgeshire - a matter of days since making the long trip to Shrewsbury.
The game will now be replayed at a later date, meaning Bolton supporters will have to travel back down to Cambridge for the rearranged fixture. "Shambles 9 mins in and it gets called what a joke." one said. "Feel for the whites that have travelled down there for 9 mins."
"Feel for our fans who have travelled down there tonight this should of been called of earlier people taking time off work it’s a joke of a league!".
Bolton's trip to Cambridge was called off due to a waterlogged pitch (Getty Images)"Jokers @CambridgeUtdFC that could've been called off way before kick off," a third said. A fourth continued: "Grim, absolutely grim." A fifth admitted: Was it waterlogged last year... Seem to remember one game where it was absolutely farcical...." Another supporter said: "That is simply unacceptable."
This wasn't the only League One game to be called off in Tuesday's set of matches either. Burton's clash against Cheltenham was postponed less than two hours before kick-off.
Bolton currently sit fourth in League One, one point behind second-place Peterborough but Evatt's men still have two games in hand. Wanderers travel to Northampton on Saturday in their next fixture. As for Cambridge, they remain 14th, four points above the relegation zone.
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