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)
