Dominic Scurr's verdict: Early postponement at Halifax Town comes at a good time for Hartlepool United despite good run of form

After ending last year with a bang, Hartlepool United will have to wait to get up and running in 2021.
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The scheduled year opener against Halifax Town at The Shay was postponed on Saturday morning due to a frozen pitch.

At 1pm on New Year’s Day, Halifax confirmed a 9am pitch inspection would be taking place the following morning with sub-zero temperatures forecast overnight.

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And at 9:25am, it was announced that the surface was unplayable and the match would have to be rearranged.

Saturday's match at The Shay was postponed due to a frozen pitch (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)Saturday's match at The Shay was postponed due to a frozen pitch (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Saturday's match at The Shay was postponed due to a frozen pitch (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

With Pools sitting second following three straight wins to end 2020, including a 3-1 victory over Halifax at Victoria Park on Boxing Day, the cancellation risks scuppering the momentum the side had started to build.

It’s a big thing in football, Hartlepool showed it by winning three games in the space of six days to climb 11 places in the table. Yet the side are now in such a position that failing to play a match this weekend will not impact their standing as they remain second.

It also allows Mark Shelton and David Ferguson come back into contention as attentions now turn to Wealdstone at The Vic next Saturday.

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This is unless the match at The Shay can be quickly rearranged for this coming Tuesday. Although that would be Dave Challinor’s preference, the Pools boss told The Mail that the most likely date would be Tuesday, January 12 as we await further details.

The MetOffice weather for Halifax on January 2nd 2021.The MetOffice weather for Halifax on January 2nd 2021.
The MetOffice weather for Halifax on January 2nd 2021.

After a busy festive schedule, Pools fortunately have a bit of respite in January with no midweek games currently scheduled.

No one wants to see a match called off on the day – but given Pools’ fixture scheduled over the next month, this is a better time than most.

But as with any match that gets called off, the home club risks coming under intense scrutiny regarding their handling on the situation and it has been no different for Halifax.

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Many Poolies have questioned the early pitch inspection time and decision to call the game off just under six hours before kick-off, especially with Hartlepool just over 100 miles from Halifax and no fans travelling.

In most cases, calling a 3pm match off with a 9am pitch inspection seems a bit hasty as temperatures would usually increase into the afternoon.

Unfortunately in Halifax, the temperature teetered around freezing for the entire day. Without being ground experts, if a pitch is frozen at 9am when it’s between zero and one degrees celsius, then you wouldn’t expect it to thaw out if that temperature remains consistent regardless of how late you leave it.

Given previous frozen pitch situations, it would usually take a temperature surge of several degrees for a sustained period before kick-off just to have a chance of the surface being safe and playable.

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Even down the road at York City, who left things later with an 11am pitch inspection in very similar conditions, the pitch was solid and their match was postponed.

Unsurprisingly, the pitch at The Shay remained frozen at 3pm so the correct decision was made early by the officials, preventing an unnecessary journey for Pools.

If 2020 showed us anything, it’s that things don’t always go according to plan – something that seems to have carried over into 2021.

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