Emirates Scottish Cup call-offs.

Nov 3 2011 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

LESMAHAGOW blasted match officials for calling off their Emirates Scottish Cup second round against Northern League side Whitehills on Saturday morning.

Manager Robert Irving explained: “On Friday we worked on the pitch all day, called in a local referee for a 4pm inspection and informed Whitehills officials.

“The match referee then turned up at 10am on Saturday, put on his football boots with the moulded soles and ran about the pitch.

“He then pointed to an area of the pitch which he felt could be a danger to players and called off the game.

“It’s a disgrace – the ‘problem area’ was about 10m by 10m – this is not the Champions’ League, this is junior football!

“Whitehills had set out at about 7am, we contacted them at 9am when they were in the Aberdeen area, and then after the 10am pitch inspection, by which time they were somewhere around Dundee.

“Now they will have to incur the expense of going through all that travel again this coming weekend.”

Irving added: “I know referees have a difficult task and I keep telling my players not to get involved, but I was disgusted when I went down to watch Blantyre Vics’ cup tie.

“Our pitch was no worse than theirs, yet the referee declared it playable – and it was a great game!”

The other postponed tie was Bellshill Athletic v Thornton Hibs, which is scheduled to take place at Fullarton Park, Tollcross, on Saturday.