Cold spell could claim casualties - Holleran

The match became Brakes’ fifth successive postponement, and with Monday’s game at Stourbridge also in grave danger, Paul Holleran’s side face having gone a month without a game.

It is a fate which has befallen many in the Zameretto Premier, with only 13 matches being completed this month.

And at a time when many clubs are struggling financially, Holleran fears the cold spell could claim a number of casualties.

“The concern is that clubs survive,” said Holleran.

“We’ve only had one home league match since November 6 and I know one or two clubs have approached the FA for help.

“We’ve had to look for indoor facilities and, although we’ve been able to call in a few favours, the costs are astronomical.

“It’s difficult for clubs and Leamington are one of those that are better able to cope because of the structure of the club. So many clubs live fortnight to fortnight.”

Holleran believes a predicted thaw may come too late to save the trip to Stourbridge, with more than six inches of snow covering the Memorial Athletic Ground.

Should that game fail to beat the weather, it would leave the January 3 clash at home to Hednesford as Brakes’ only festive fixture, something Holleran is none too happy about.

“When the fixtures came out I was surprised to see only one home game over the Christmas period,” he said. “I think that’s just silly at a time when people want to go out and watch games.

“Just a division above us they’re playing four games over the same period.”

Holleran’s frustrations are not just confined to the loss of fixtures, with keeping his players in shape also proving a major headache.

Brakes have been able to use facilities at Warwick University and Birmingham City, but hazardous driving conditions have provided further stumbling blocks in his efforts to get the squad together.

“It’s hard to keep everything ticking over. We’ve got our hands on indoor facilities but now you’ve got the conditions with the roads and we’ve got players travelling in from all over the Midlands.

“Then we’ll have the situation when we do get back in action of three games a week until the end of the season.

“And that’s before January which tends to be the worst month for the weather.”

When they do eventually return to action, Holleran will be hoping his side can pick up where they left off before the break.

The November 27 draw at Banbury made it 23 points from a possible 27 and lifted Leamington to fifth in the table, a position they still occupy despite their inactivity.

The impressive form also explains the club’s desperation to get last Saturday’s match with Bedford on, with horticultural fleeces employed to insulate the pitch against frost.

“It’s been a major frustration, we were on a nice little roll,” said Holleran. “I may have moaned about the Banbury game being on but I’m glad we played it to be honest.

“The club did everything they could to get the game on against Bedford, paying out for fleeces but they can’t do right for doing wrong.

“Now we’ve got to clear off the snow and get the fleeces off the pitch before they kill the grass.”