HOPES are high that some non-league games can beat the weather this weekend.After last Saturday's white-out, fans of the non-league scene are desperate for some action, and it looks as though they may be lucky.

Mike Bacon

HOPES are high that some non-league games can beat the weather this weekend.

After last Saturday's white-out, fans of the non-league scene are desperate for some action, and it looks as though they may be lucky.

I phoned round a few grounds yesterday to ascertain the state of play and although no-one is calling a game off yet, or promising one to be on, the next 48 hours, weather-wise, will be crucial.

At Mildenhall, chairman Martin Tuck reckons his team's home game with Hadleigh in the Ridgeons League Premier Division will survive. “I'm very confident of the game going ahead,” he said.

“The only proviso is that we don't have any more heavy rain or snow, but at the moment I would think our game should go ahead.”

The biggest game of the weekend is the FA Vase clash at Bloomfields, Needham Market, where the home side entertain Kirkley & Pakefield in the last 32 of the competition.

Needham chairman David Bugg said: “The forecast for Thursday and Friday isn't bad, but we don't need much more snow.

“We have a team of volunteers who will clear the pitch, we just hope it not too soft underneath.”

At Debenham Leisure Centre, the home side are supposed to be entertaining Wisbech in the Ridgeons Premier. Debenham boss Mel Aldis rates it 50/50.

“We had five inches of snow on the pitch on Monday, but that's now down to a couple of inches,” he said.

“It's soft underneath so we hope it won't be too waterlogged. But we don't want any more snow.”

AFC Sudbury are at home to Leighton Town at the weekend and secretary David Webb feels his side have 'a squeak' of a chance of getting the match on.

“There is quite a bit of frost in the pitch, but there is still time for that to come out,” he said.

“We are in the lap of the gods, but we've got a squeak of a chance.”

At Harwich & Parkeston, one of the club's management team, Tony Armstrong, is less confident of their attractive game with Ridgeons Premier leaders CRC going ahead.

“We still have four inches of snow on the pitch and although it's thawing, it's only disappearing slowly. It's alright underneath, but I would say the game is unlikely to go ahead.”

Back in Suffolk, Walsham's Summer Road ground has looked anything but summery. “I'm quite surprised how much snow Walsham has actually had,” chairman Mike Powles admitted. “There is still three inches on the pitch and unless there is a dramatic change, I think the game is unlikely to go ahead.”

Keep an eye on the Green'Un website today and tomorrow for any latest weather news.