AFC Telford chairman calls for more early games

Chairman Lee Carter has urged Conference officials to look again at how they schedule fixtures - after seeing AFC Telford United lose another game to the weather.

The Bucks' home clash with Corby Town on Saturday became another casualty of a waterlogged pitch following heavy overnight rain the day before.

Telford now have 15 games still to play in the final nine-and-a-half weeks of the Blue Square Bet North season while title favourites Alfreton - whose trip to Worcester was also off at the weekend - have 19.

Carter believes Conference officials need to learn from the example of many of the feeder leagues, who play more evening games in the first two months of the campaign.

"The Football Conference have got to start scheduling a few more Tuesday games a lot earlier in the season," said Carter.

"We only had two or three midweek matches back in August-September time but in the UniBond League days we had five or six at the start of the season.

"I think the Conference need to go to a more UniBond-like system where we got more games in earlier on."

Carter is also frustrated by Telford's inability to have any input in when the Corby game will be re-arranged.

"The league have taken away the ability of clubs to talk to each other and arrange their own date," he said.

"We'd ideally like the game to be re-arranged for April 5 but I think it's likely to be April 12, which will mean postponing the Wolves reserves game with Manchester City that night."

* Telford manager Andy Sinton responded to the postponement by taking his squad for an indoor training session at the Wolves Dome.

The Bucks return to action tomorrow night with the visit of Droylsden.

By Chris Hudson