Salisbury City 0-0 Dover Athletic (MATCH ABANDONED AT HALF TIME)

Salisbury City 0-0 Dover Athletic – MATCH ABANDONED AT HALF TIME

Salisbury City: Puddy, Wilson, J. Clarke, Giles, Udoji, Lewis, Dutton (c), McPhee, R. Sinclair, White, Fitchett Subs not used: Scott, Brett, Ademeno, Frear, S Sinclair.

Att: 765.

SALISBURY City will lock horns with fellow promotion-chasers Dover Athletic once again after the affair was abandoned at half time.

As the rain and lethal hailstones blasted onto the pitch, the referee was given little choice at the break but to postpone the match at the Ray Mac.

Salisbury player-manager Darrell Clarke told the Journal he was disappointed with the outcome.

“Ultimately it’s the referee’s call,” he said.

“There were some big puddles on the pitch, but I’m disappointed for both sets of fans. It’s never nice to see games abandoned.

“But it’s one of those things where everyone is left frustrated, because obviously when you start a match you want to see it through, but we’ll now have to do it all over again.

“I wanted the game played and the three points, but it hasn’t happened.

“It was a scruffy match between two committed sides playing in difficult conditions.

“The first period was pretty even which perhaps we edged.

“We couldn’t get our flowing football going, no doubt the replay will be a good game.”

Clarke made one change from the win at Weston-super-Mare, replacing Rob Sinclair for the ill Ricky Wellard.

The downpour at Old Sarum failed to dampen both sets of supporters’ spirits, who created an electric atmosphere from the off.

Dover, who have the best away record in Blue Square Bet South, winning ten out of 16, were hoping for vengeance after losing the reverse fixture in October.

And they started with a spring in their step, dominating possession. Ricky Modeste proved a handful down the right hand side and was lightening quick on the counter-attack.

His corners and crosses gave Billy Bricknell successive chances to steer his side ahead, but both shots, inside the area, were meek and eased into Will Puddy’s mitts.

It was only until the last quarter of the first half that the Whites turned it up a notch. James Clarke’s and Jamie White’s drilled crosses left the Dover defenders scrambling.

The ball did creep into the Dover goal though, but to Salisbury’s frustration, it was ruled out for offside.

A goalless first half setup a compelling second, but due to the unplayable surface, the game will be replayed.