Pressure on as fixtures mount

By Kristian Truelsen

HEADER: Renfrew in action against Neilston in December

RENFREW boss Dougie Mitchell is biting his nails over his side's serious backlog of fixtures after their Emirates Junior Cup tie with Tayport was called off for the third time in a row.

The Frew's clash with the east of Scotland side was put back once again as plummeting temperatures froze the Western Park pitch.

Mitchell's men now face a daunting backlog of games in the second half of their campaign and the Renfrew boss is concerned at the prospect having so many games to play.

He said: "The worrying thing for us now is the backlog of fixtures.

"It will be incredible the amount of games we have to play until the end of this season.

"We will have to have our full squad on board as we still have two cup games still to deal with, the League Cup matches as well as the second half of our league campaign.

"If we are successful in the cup competitions it will be harder for us, but that goes with the territory when you do well."

Despite being desperate to see the game go ahead on Saturday, Mitchell agreed the match was right to be scrapped again as it would have been a health hazard to both sets of players.

He added: "The referee inspected the pitch and he didn't even look at the whole of it.

"As soon as he stepped on the park he said there was no chance the game would go ahead. The pitch was completely frozen and it would have been dangerous to play on it.

"With the elements the way they are there's nothing you can do about it.

"There was only one game on in the Juniors and that was at Girvan, so it was no surprise the game was called off.

"The pitch is something we will have to deal with but hopefully we will have the game on this Saturday."

On a positive note for the Frew, they were drawn against Super Premier League strugglers Vale of Clyde in the League Cup second round on Thursday.

Despite being a division below the Vale, the Renfrew players will fancy their chances against them at Fullarton Park.

And they will be confident going into the clash especially after neighbours Johnstone Burgh pulled off a shock result against the Vale in the Junior Cup second round two weeks ago at Petershill Park.

A date for the tie has yet to be arranged.

Weather permitting, Renfrew's Emirates Scottish Junior Cup third round tie will be against Tayport at Western Park on Saturday (kick-off 2pm).