MANAGER Chris Wilder said Saturday’s postponement robbed his players of one of the highlights of the season, and described the call-off, and the circumstances which led to it “an absolute disgrace”.

“It was really disappointing,” he said.

“The players had prepared properly and they were really looking forward to a game that, with a 10,000 crowd, would have been one of the highlights of the season.

“It seemed incredible that there were parts still frozen on Saturday morning when everywhere else had thawed.

“Kelvin’s hands are pretty tied at the moment in terms of the arrangement. But everyone knows that, if we were in full control of things, that game wouldn’t have been called off.”

He added: “The historical worst part of the pitch (in the shade of the South Stand) was as soft as it’s ever been.

“That game should never have been called off . . . there were a catalogue of things that have happened.

“I don’t really blame the ref. He left it as late as possible, he was there at 10 o’clock, before any of the groundstaff turned up, sticking his fork into it.”