FA Cup football and racing across UK hit by freezing temperatures and snow
Freezing temperatures and the prospect of more snow are set to play havoc with sporting fixtures this weekend, with several football matches and racing meetings already postponed or cancelled.
In football, Mansfield Town’s FA Cup third-round tie against Wigan and Carlisle United’s League Two match against MK Dons on Saturday have been postponed.
Mansfield said: “Frost covers have been on the playing surface all week in an attempt to protect the pitch, however, with temperatures reaching as low as -7°C in the early hours of this morning and not forecast to rise above freezing within the next 24 hours, an early decision has been made to postpone the game.”
Despite also using pitch covers at Carlisle’s Brunton Park, sub-zero temperatures in the north west and the forecast of more frost to come prompted swift action on Friday.
Carlisle said: “Tomorrow’s Sky Bet League Two fixture against MK Dons at Brunton Park has been postponed. Following a pitch inspection on Friday morning, the surface was deemed unplayable by a qualified match official.
“Despite the covers being in place at Brunton Park since Tuesday, the sub-zero temperatures have meant the surface is frozen. Details of the rearranged fixture will be confirmed in due course.”
In National League football, Oldham’s clash with Eastleigh and Fylde’s game against Sutton have also been postponed.
Further disruption looks likely, with the Met Office has warned that sleet and snow are expected in the south west today, leading to icy patches and freezing fog overnight.
Further FA Cup third-round ties could be among the fixtures at risk, while there is also a busy schedule of games in Leagues One and Two and in Scotland.
Which UK racing has been abandoned?
In racing, Kempton’s Lanzarote Hurdle meeting scheduled for Saturday has been abandoned due to a frozen track.
Conditions deteriorated rapidly at the course, as just 24 hours previously there had been no inspection planned.
Earlier in the week the problem had been flooding, but that had receded in time to make the course raceable by Thursday.
However, an extremely cold night which saw temperatures reach almost -7C scuppered any plans of racing.
“We’d just been waiting for confirmation from all the forecasts, but we’re forecast -2C again tonight and a high of 2C tomorrow,” said Kempton course clerk Barney Clifford.
“It was an easy call because we recorded a -6.8C which, apart from a -11C in 2010, is about as cold as I can remember it here. Thankfully it’s due to warm up in a few days.”
Friday’s all-weather racing meeting at Lingfield was abandoned following a second inspection and Kelso on Sunday off due to a frozen track.
Lingfield’s Polytrack surface was described as too lumpy and it was deemed there was insufficient time and temperatures to see enough improvement.
Saturday’s meetings at Warwick and Wetherby were others already lost. The Unibet Veterans’ Final, originally due to take place at Sandown last week and then moved to Warwick, will now take place at Market Rasen on Friday.
After an early-morning inspection, Kelso clerk of the course James Armstrong posted on X: “Sadly we have no option but to abandon racing on Sunday. We have now had two successive nights of hard frost and more to come. The track is frozen.”