A TURF war has broken out between the managers of Billericay Town and Farnborough after Saturday's match between the clubs was postponed.
The referee called off the Blue Square Bet South fixture at New Lodge approximately an hour-and-a-half before kick-off due to a waterlogged pitch.
Billericay manager Craig Edwards is furious with the role Spencer Day, the Farnborough manager, played in getting the game called off and insists the surface was in better condition than when they played Chelmsford City on New Year's Day.
"The whole thing was just amazing," said Edwards.
"I respect the referee's decision and at the end of the day it's his call but what I couldn't be doing with was the conduct of their manager.
"He was going on about health and safety and all this nonsense – he was moaning about everything under the sun.
"Maybe they had a few players injured or something but in the non-league game we should all try and help each other out."
Farnborough officials are considering asking for travel compensation saying the game should have been called off the day before, they claim the pitch was in a clearly unplayable state.
In an impassioned interview with a local radio station Day insisted his team would have played is asked but said: "This game should have been called off yesterday, it's not even close and the fact of it is that the referee's putting it in his notes to the FA and we're expecting that we'll get compensation for even turning up.
"This isn't home advantage this is insane."
Billericay chairman Steve Kent estimated the postponement would cost the club thousands of pounds.
He said: "The monetary loss to us will be in the thousands and the time loss will have spanned all day Friday and Saturday morning.
"I'll not blame the referee because as I said, he spent a long time making his decision, so I'm sure he did what he thought was right."
The game has now been re-arranged for next Tuesday and is sure to be a spicy affair. Edwards added: "Hopefully we'll get the pitch looking like the Emirates by then so they fancy a game."
In other news midfielder Paul Semukula has returned from Maidenhead United after finishing university, it means Brazilian forward Alex Cerderia has left the club after failing to impress.
Meanwhile goalkeeper Sam Beasant has signed a contract that will keep him at Billericay until the end of next season.
