Stowmarket Town boss empathises with Coggeshall counterpart after game was abandoned

Stowmarket Town manager, Rick Andrews (Image: Archant)

Town are six points behind leaders Coggeshall, with two games in hand, following last weekend’s events, ahead of their home clash with improving March Town United on Saturday afternoon.

Had the game at Coggeshall been allowed to finish – the referee abandoned the crucial contest on 53 minutes, deeming part of the pitch dangerous, despite allowing the fixture to start and the conditions seemingly not having changed – then the likelihood is that the hosts would now be nine points clear.

“I did feel for the Coggeshall management team for sure, I would have felt as aggrieved as they did if we were the team winning 2-0,” said Andrews, who revealed the club had received a fair amount of criticism on social media this week, following the abandonment, despite having no say in the final decision.

“The officials made the decisions and did not consult me or my bench. The referee consulted the main linesman and the decision was outside of our control.

“It’s a shame. Coggeshall would have probably gone on and won the game, but then again, I thought we were the better side for the last 20 minutes of the first half and I felt we were on top in the second half.

“I said to the players afterwards that even had we won at Coggeshall, that wouldn’t mean we would go on and win the league and, likewise, had we lost, it wouldn’t have meant we would have missed out.”

Town now have 16 games left to play, beginning against March Town, and Andrews added: “There will still be plenty of twist and turns.

“March started sluggishly but have improved recently and have just drawn 0-0 with Coggeshall and beat Diss Town 1-0.”

He added: “We have not got the biggest of squads and we are looking to freshen up in one or two areas to get us over the finish line in a top-three position.”