Pitch was perfect - Sheridan

Due to kick off at 1pm, the game was called off at 10.30am and Mathieson

explained why on the Chesterfield Official Site.

"I'd been in regular phone contact with the club over the previous 72 hours, the ground had been sheeted up overnight and when I pulled the sheets back, those particular areas of the pitch were playable. Unfortunately a couple of the sheets blew away during the night which exposed those parts of the pitch to the inclement weather and those areas that have been exposed are solid and with the experience I've had with previous pitch inspections over the years, I deemed the pitch as unplayable.

He continued "At the time the temperatures were not lifting, it was still zero degrees, so I felt there was no prospect of the pitch being ready by kick off time."

But Sheridan argued: "I think the pitch is perfect to be fair, I think it's a ridiculous decision. He's on about a little patch that you can get a key in, it'll take a stud and it seems perfect to play on.

"The referee obviously looks at things in a different light and he's saying safety reasons, he's made a decision, it's his decision but we've been out on the pitch and it's perfect for me.

"If I'd have been the referee we'd have been kicking off. I'm just disappointed I wasn't here at the time he made his decision, I may have been able to have persuaded him differently. I looked at the pitch on Sunday, it looked perfect and at no time did I think there'd be any inspection so it's very disappointing, it would have been a good game, great atmosphere, so we're all very disappointed."

Conflicting reports suggest the icy Cross Street terraces also played a part in the decision to call the game off - a new date has yet to be confirmed for the clash but it's likely to be a Wednesday evening.

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