Dale groundsman explains pitch problems

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Postponed football matches are frustrating for everyone, groundsman, players, managers, supporters and all staff and since drainage work was undertaken two summers ago the Dale pitch has held its own when a monsoon hits on match day. However, recently the surface has caused something of a problem, not least of all on Tuesday when the game against Barnet was cancelled due to a waterlogged pitch.

Rain fell on an already saturated surface on Tuesday afternoon and despite the very best efforts of the ground staff at the club, referee Andy Hall called the game off.

Groundsman Phil Collinson explains why the rainfall we have now is causing the problem and when it didn't last year: "We have a big problem with time because sadly we don't have enough of it in the summer. We are restricted to just four weeks and it isn't long enough to do the work we need to do."

"The preparation in the summer lays a foundation for the winter and if you start the season with a weak pitch you go into the winter struggling. We also need to rest our pitch as much as possible between games and allow it to grow unhindered. There is a slogan that says 'Grass grows by the inch and is destroyed by the foot.' and I couldn't agree more"

Asked what can we done to prevent losing more games to the weather, Mr Collinson said: "I know the subject of covers has been talked about, but it something we have looked at but covers aren't the answer. You have to purchase a single cover without any seams for them to have any real effect or as few sheets as possible. Water just gets under the seams and then the covers have a negative effect because they hold the water underneath and don't allow the
moisture to get away."

"Rain will also seep to the naturally low levels of the pitch and that is where the problems are right now. The Sandy Lane half of the pitch is the lowest and gets the brunt of it and sadly it is showing."

"The estimate we got was £40,000 for two covers that would fit the whole pitch, but I believe the money would be better spent in sorting out the structure below the grass.

"Before we had the drains fitted a couple of years ago, we had quotes for various levels of work ranging from £50k - £120k. We had done what we fit into a very tight timescale and also a very tight budget."

"The top end quote would have given us a pitch with a very good structure but we need a window of some 12 weeks and that was impossible. The elements are certainly against us, we cancelled vertidraining the other day because the top surface was being ruined as we tried to get some holes in the pitch and open it up."

"I'm as frustrated as anyone when we see everything we put into getting a game on wiped away with a shake of a referees head. It is very satisfying to see the other side of the coin like last Saturday when the immense effort from the supporters was rewarded with the game being played despite the result.We just need a spell of dry weather now so we can get onto the pitch and break up the natural compaction."