WARRINGTON Rylands and Marske United looked set to finally fulfil their Northern Premier League Premier Division fixture at the third time of asking on Tuesday night.

With the game less than an hour from getting underway, however, there was frustration on both sides as having inspected the playing surface, the match referee called the game off.

Having been in perfectly playable condition for most of the day, a sudden drop in temperatures during the build-up to kick off saw parts of the pitch quickly freeze over, with the goalmouths believed to have caused particular concern.

The club confirmed the game’s postponement at 7.15pm, 30 minutes before kick off, leaving Marske to make the 133-mile trip back to the north east.

The sides are now likely to try again in the new year following the third postponement of this particular fixture – the initial date of September 30 was pushed back due to Rylands’ involvement in the FA Cup while the rearranged fixture on November 7 fell foul of a waterlogged pitch.

It means another week without a fixture for Michael Clegg’s men, with their scheduled trip to Bradford Park Avenue at the weekend falling victim to the freezing nationwide temperatures.

With just four NPL Premier fixtures taking place this week, Blues remain second in the table nine points behind leaders Radcliffe, whom they face away from home on December 16.

First, however, they must negotiate the visit of second-bottom Stafford Rangers to Gorsey Lane on Saturday, kick off 3pm.