Gateshead v County postponed

6:10pm Sunday 10th March 2013 in Newport County Photograph of the Author By Michael Pearlman

NEWPORT County's seemingly never ending quest to fulfil their fixture with Gateshead continued tonight with the hosts announcing another postponement.

The original clash, scheduled for December 1, was switched to Rodney Parade at Gateshead's request with their pitch deemed unplayable. County won 3-1.

The reverse date, on Tuesday, February 25, was subsequently postponed with Gateshead's International Stadium failing a pitch inspection, but that was no surprise whatsoever as the club had already successfully lobbied the Football Conference to switch several games to Hartlepool United's Victoria Park - due to their poor playing surface.

Victoria Park was the proposed venue for tomorrow, but it failed a pitch inspection scheduled for 4.30pm, with an announcement on the Gateshead official website explaining: "Gateshead's home match tomorrow night against Newport County has been postponed. No new date for the fixture has been set.

"Gateshead will next be in action away to AFC Telford United this coming Wednesday 13th March, kick-off 7:45pm."

With this week not an option for another re-arrangement, County face a significant headache in fulfilling the fixture. They have a midweek game every week between now and the season finale on Saturday, April 20, as do Gateshead.

Another intriguing element to the saga is a lack of explanation in the Gateshead statement as to why the game is off. That may be solved by a strong statement on the Newport County official website.

It reads: "Tomorrow's match against Gateshead FC scheduled to be played at Victoria Park, Hartlepool has been postponed.

"This is due to Hartlepool United withdrawing the offer to Gateshead FC to use their facilities.

"We would obviously like to apologise to all of our supporters who have again been inconvenienced by this postponement.

"Newport County AFC will issue a further statement on the matter in due course."

County remaining fixtures:

Gateshead: TBC

Saturday, March 16: Macclesfield (H)

Tuesday, March 19: Kidderminster (H)

Saturday, March 23: Stockport (A)

Tuesday, March 26: Southport (A)

Saturday, March 30: Dartford (H)

Monday, April 1: Nuneaton (A)

Friday, April 5: Cambridge (A)

Tuesday, April 9: Braintree (H)

Saturday, April 13: Alfreton (H)

Tuesday, April 16: Luton (A)

Saturday, April 20: Grimsby (A)

Comments(11)

Slider02 says...
6:22pm Sun 10 Mar 13

What a &&**%%**££££""$%
%^^&&** joke this side is - get5 the4 league to sort out NOW!

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llandaff says...
6:58pm Sun 10 Mar 13

This may yet be to our advantage. County can have a good rest now before facing the onslaught of two games a week. It may even give us back a fit Aaron O'Connor in time to smash this league once and for all.
In fact it puts the pressure on the other clubs around us who are only a few points ahead of us and already having played more games than us and with Wrexham slipping up on Saturday, anything can happen!.
Let's be positive. We are still in the play off area well ahead of Forest Green. So Stay Calm and Support the County!!
NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO PRACTICE TAKING PENALTIES!

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Adrian Williams says...
7:53pm Sun 10 Mar 13

If Gateshead have not been able to fulfil this fixture three times (two of which being dubious), then surely County should be awarded the three points as it's not our fault and there is no space in the calender ?

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Missing Somerton says...
7:54pm Sun 10 Mar 13

Disgraceful Gateshead should be thrown out of the league!

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sooty001 says...
8:53pm Sun 10 Mar 13

The answer is simple, we helped them when their ground was unfit for play, they should return the favor, and switch the game to Rodney Parade because I can see that with Hartlepool refusing to let Gateshead use their pitch we could be in a situation where the fixture cannot be played before the end of the season, just remember the weather is not set any better in the near future. And bare in mind none of this is of the County,s doing.

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crosskeysgirl18 says...
9:12pm Sun 10 Mar 13

Can't understand why they cant move the fixture to another venue besides Victoria Park! Its disgraceful - the FA or whatever it is should either give County the 3 (or more) points or force them to play at a different venue if Victoria Park is unplayable! Its not rocket science!!

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sooty001 says...
9:14pm Sun 10 Mar 13

Just been on the Gateshead website and they are trying to get the game played at York City,s ground on 21st March, that,s 5 games in 8 days for us, can,t be right we are getting punished for Gateshead Council,s poor workmanship.

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county mad says...
11:15am Mon 11 Mar 13

It's a farce the league should award the game to county end of!

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JENKO1965 says...
11:24am Mon 11 Mar 13

if they havent got a pitch which is not suitable for this league they shouldnt be in the league, and the fa should tell them if they dont play it at rodney parade then they will lose the points,after all it is suppose to be countys home game,

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jetspotter says...
11:59pm Mon 11 Mar 13

Not sure we'd be shouting for the points to be awarded to one of the other top teams if they were in our position. We need to keep a sense of proportion and win promotion on merit not on the dubious awarding of points.

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COUNTYVOICE says...
2:11am Tue 12 Mar 13

there are double standards going on here , county were not allowed to play at rodney parade last year because of the atrocious spytty park playing surf.unfair advantage was quoted i believe.

but gateshead seem to be able to play at any ground who will have them.

5 games in a week is ridiculous and after 3 postponements gateshead are taking the ****.

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