TD cancellations explained

The pitch at Thames Ditton on Thursday afternoon

In the light of some abusive comments sent as feedback in relation to the decision to call off this weekend’s matches – typically, anonymously - I thought I would explain the background to it.

I appreciate the pitches today are playable. However, we had to make an inspection on Thursday afternoon as there was nobody available on the Friday, and then make a decision based on conditions then and what was expected. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

The pitch at 3pm on Thursday was completely covered in snow, with patches underneath still frozen (see photo). The car park and approach road were also very icy and the area next the club was dangerously so.

We consulted with the club management, and based on the situation allied to the forecast, we took the call to cancel all matches. We were fully aware this was a risk, but the only alternative was to inspect again on Friday night by which time it would have been too late to call games off. Ideally, we would have checked again on Friday but that was not an option as nobody was available.

All of us want to play hockey, so such decisions were not taken lightly. It might be worth noting that City of Portsmouth called our 1st XI match off on Thursday night and the Ladies game against Tulse Hill & Dulwich at Cranleigh was also called off the same day. I would hazard a guess those pitches were also playable today.

Everyone involved in the club does so in their own time. While disappointment is an understandable reaction to another blank weekend, anger and email comments such as “thanks for ruining my weekend you ****ing prick” are not. I only hope that was from an opposition player.

In future, when we again have a full-time presence at the club, this kind of decision will be taken out of our hands and will rest with the OC Club manager.

Another blank weekend at TD

For the second week running all matches at Thames Ditton on Saturday have been called off because of the weather.

Heavy snow on Wednesday fell on top of that lying there from Sunday, and although rain on Thursday helped to reduce the covering , it was not nearly enough to allow us to proceed with the games. The 1st XI’s match at City of Portsmouth was called off late on Thursday, as was the Ladies game at Cranleigh against Tulse Hill. The 3rd XI away at Merton is all that survives.

Thaw comes in time

14.05 (Fri Jan 26) The snow has almost all melted and so a decision has been made that all matches at home go ahead.


12.40 (Fri Jan 26) Latest news is that the pitch is beginning to thaw and so the chances of the games going ahead are better than they were. Much seems to depend on how things go in the next two hours, so more at 15.30.

22.30 (Thu Jan 25) A number of this weekend’s matches, including both home games at TD, are in doubt after Wednesday’s snow failed to melt, leaving many astroturfs in the area under a thin blanket of the white stuff. The problem was caused by the fact the pitches froze on Tuesday night, and the snow then fell on the frozen surface. While all around melted, the cold of the astro has acted as an underground fridge. A decision will be made at 2pm on Friday whether the home matches can take place, and other captains will be calling their opposition. An inspection on Thursday evening (above) was not promising but updates will appear here