Harriers' Boxing Day trip called off

Kidderminster Harriers' Blue Square Premier trip to Forest Green Rovers on Boxing Day has been postponed after a pitch inspection.

The playing surface at the New Lawn has already been deemed unplayable for at least a couple of days and will not be in use again until Rovers host Crawley on January 3.

But Harriers are hoping to get their own ground up to scratch for their next home game, the visit of Newport County on December 28.

The playing surface is believed to be holding up relatively well to the conditions, with work already underway to sweep snow from the stands and areas surrounding the stadium.

However, there is a good six to 10 inches of snow to be cleared off the covers protecting the pitch, which the club are hoping to tackle with an army of volunteers called to Aggborough for Monday at 9am.

Should all their attempts be unsuccessful, the return game with Forest Green on New Years Day would be their next home game.

The corresponding fixture has already fell by the wayside, with Rovers' operations director Colin Peake adamant that playing the match will be nigh on impossible.

He said: "Although we have had heavier snow than this before now, the biggest concern is the amount of frozen snow we have.

"A layer of snow on the pitch has frozen over and what has fallen on top of that has also frozen - during the pitch inspection yesterday, the ground temperature was -2c.

"Allied to that, all three car parks, the stadium road and pavements are still covered in the same way and was severely affecting three spectator areas in a similar fashion, with the main stand having driven snow as far back as seven rows from pitch level.

"With temperatures set to worsen over Christmas Day and Boxing Day, there was no prospect of play so an early postponement was sensible."

Harriers have also appointed Mark Serrell to their board of directors on a permanent basis.

Serrell had been an acting board member since chairman David Reynolds took over the club in October.