Frustration as abandoned game forces Louth Town to wait for safety

The White Wolves probably only need one more win to be safe.

But they crashed 3-0 away at Swallownest in midweek and were then thwarted at Glasshoughton on Saturday when the game was abandoned at half-time with Louth leading 3-0 through three goals in 10 magic minutes from Niall Johnson, Harvey Lidgard and Bailey Wright.

“It was very frustrating and hard to take,” said boss Carl Martin.

“The midweek game was probably one of our worst performances of the season.

“The standards and levels we have hit over the last two or three, we were nowhere near them.

“That performance and Saturday's were like chalk and cheese. For the first 25 minutes at Glasshoughton we were unplayable.

“It was probably the best passage of football we have played all season. So it was just our luck that the game got abandoned at half-time.

“We have to take it on the chin and take the positives from the first half hour as I thought we were superb – they couldn't get anywhere near us.

“We moved the ball well and were ruthless in both boxes, defending well and taking our chances at the other end.”

Martin said the decision to call the game off was the right one.

“The rain started coming down perhaps 15 minutes into the first half, and it was torrential to be fair,” he said.

“The referee gave it an extra 10 minutes after half-time but the decision was then taken that the pitch was unplayable for the safety of players and you can't argue with that.

“It was a bitter pill to swallow with the performance we had put in.

“The referee was getting quite a bit of pressure from the home side as you would expect 3-0 down at half-time and them having made three subs after half an hour.

“But in hindsight it was the right decision.”

Louth's bid to get safe was boosted by three points deductions for fellow strugglers Appleby Frodingham and Dronfield Town this week for fielding ineligible players.

Louth are 10 points clear of Nostell MW in the drop zone and are 11 goals better off on goal difference.

On Saturday they host Harrogate Railway Athletic and Martin said: “Two sides below us have had points deducted and we have got ourselves into a position where we just need to get over the line, but we seem to have stalled a little bit. So we now need to get the job done on Saturday.

“A win should do it or even a couple of draws.”