(Picture: Action Images via Reuters)
By Jon Couch
NATIONAL League side Eastleigh insist problems with their pitch will be a thing of the past when Tranmere Rovers roll into town on Saturday.
The Spitfires have been experiencing drainage problems in one corner of their newly-laid surface at the Silverlake Stadium, culminating in the postponements of pre-season friendlies against AFC Wimbledon and Portsmouth.
And those problems were exposed again on Saturday when kick-off for the visit of Dagenham & Redbridge was delayed by 10 minutes for emergency work to be carried out before referee David Rock passed the game fit.
Eastleigh say the problems have been caused by the hot weather in July followed by a spell of prolonged rain in August, which has caused the clay-based surface to flood.
But they are confident the problems will be resolved once Micky Mellon and his pre-season National League favourites make the long trip down to Hampshire on Saturday.
Speaking to BBC Radio Solent, chief executive Mark Jewell explained: “It’s been the extremes of weather really that’s hampered us.
“We’ve got a very high water table in this area. After a fair bit of rain in the past week, there’s one spot of the newly-laid surface that isn’t draining as well as everywhere else.
“The ground staff have been working on spiking it and trying to get as much air into the roots as possible to encourage growth.
“We’re in a clay-based area where unfortunately there’s a layer of water sitting above the clay, but below the turf in one area.”
Referee Rock eventually gave Saturday’s game the go-ahead after some emergency redial work from the ground stuff. The match ended 2-2.
Dagenham boss John Still said afterwards: “It’s not my job to say it’s not playable.
“The paramount thing for me is player safety and the issue was the referee should make that final decision. He did and we went on to play the game, which is fine with me.”
