Chris Wilder said it was a “massive let-down” when Saturday’s League Two home game against Shrewsbury was called off due to a frozen pitch.

It had been hoped covering the pitch at the Kassam Stadium would keep the frost off, but a drop in temperature on Friday night saw the pitch freeze up and the game postponed – then came the snow.

Even the club offices were closed on Saturday, and yesterday’s children’s party at the Kassam Stadium had to be called off.

And hundreds of other fixtures – including ice hockey – had to be called off as the big freeze hit.

It means that the U’s have not played for a fortnight, following the postponement of last Saturday’s match at Lincoln because of the big freeze.

“I’m really disappointed that it was called off as it’s two weeks without a game,” said Wilder.

“We wanted to build on the two wins that we have got and I felt there was a real mood in the team and the club that if the game was on that we could go and win it.

“Players work very hard in the build-up – footballers want to be playing matches – so it was a massive let-down.

“But I think the fact that no-one else (in League Two) was playing meant the effect was less severe.”

The postponement also meant training had to be cancelled.

Wilder said: “I couldn’t get the players in and if I had done that, I could not have got them back out again.

“We will just have to wait for the weather to clear because I don’t want players stuck on the motorway. I am not going to put anything at risk.

“We have to take a sensible view of it. Our players are a fit bunch and they will do some work at home.”