Huddersfield’s fixture against Percy Park was postponed just 10 minutes before kick-off as the visitors felt the pitch was unplayable.
Despite the month’s break that Lockwood Park has had, the pitch had not recovered adequately enough for the game to go ahead.
A statement from Huddersfield read:
“Unfortunately today’s game was cancelled as the opposition felt the pitch was unplayable.
We’re extremely disappointed but we did everything possible to play the game and feel it could have been played.
The new fixture date is to be confirmed, though it is likely to be the 22nd of February.
Huddersfield had a number of returning faces, as well as new signing Gareth Richardson who will now have to wait to make his debut.
He said: “Obviously it’s disappointing, you come here to play rugby, they’ve travelled a long way, it’s frustrating.”
Despite Percy Park being able to find fault in the pitch, Huddersfield Coach Gareth Lewis is confident that the surface can return to former glory.
He said: “The ground staff do an excellent job in preparing it the best they can, I’ve spoke to John Lockwood quite a few times during the week and they need to work their magic to get it ready for the next home game.
Although the pitch will have further time to recover, as well as the increased rest time for those returning from injury, including Tom Owen, coach Lewis will be hoping they can take further their preparation into next week’s fixture against Rossendale.
He said: “There is a fresh feeling, we’ve almost had a mid-season break for a few of the squad, we’re fresh, we’re ready and we were really ready to go today.
“We’re all ready to go and that’s even more disappointing today because of that time off.”
Huddersfield return to action next week against Rossendale in another massive fixture for the league-leaders.
Lewis said: “It’s a massive challenge, out of the games this season the Rossendale game is the one that sticks in my mind as one of the biggest disappointments. It will be a big challenge over there next week, which the boys need to be ready for”.
