IT was no big surprise that a 9am pitch inspection on Saturday morning (February 6) confirmed the postponement of the Peacocks' Evo-Stik League game with Didcot Town due to a waterlogged pitch.

The weather forecast proved depressingly accurate with rain beginning to fall at the Viridor Stadium yesterday evening and continuing in spells overnight, resulting in a waterlogged playing surface and an easy decision for local referee Scott Jackson to make.

Since then the weather has deteriorated further with the bottom part of the ground now submerged as pictured Saturday afternoon.

The deluge put paid to all but one fixture in the South and West Division, with Winchester City beating Yate Town in the only game played.

Yesterday's postponement is Town's fourth of the season at the Viridor Stadium and their third in 2016, meaning they have played at home only once this year so far.

The lack of both football action and income is becoming an unwelcome issue for Town along with many other non-league clubs in this very wet winter, a problem chairman Kevin Sturmey is all too aware of.

"It's really hard for us at present as our cashflow has been decimated by the last four out of five home games being postponed", he said.

"It's also so demoralising as we are doing everything we can on the pitch with verti-draining,slitting and preparing for games as we have to do.

"We never received any financial help in the very wet winter of two years ago even though money I believe is still sat there.

"The ridiculous thing is that our pitch is an income generator and when it's flooded our asset is not usable, but if our changing rooms had flooded we could have got compensation - more red tape and bureaucracy. 

"We are lucky that football is only one part of our business and even this week I have negotiated new 'non-football' agreements, which will be due in April and September - but of course, we need the help now.

"There should be an FA, league or even local authority fund to help with short term financial problems, after all we are a major asset to our town and community."

Yet more rain is forecast over the next three days, meaning Tuesday's home meeting with Tiverton Town already looks in major doubt.

The twice postponed fixture with Banbury United meanwhile has now been rescheduled for Tuesday, March 8, kick-off 7.45pm.