ST Ives Town’s big FA Vase game against Gresley will now to be played next Saturday, February 18, after it was called off on Thursday with the club’s Westwood Road pitch still under a couple of inches of snow.

After an official from the FA had inspected the pitch and decided it would not be playable, the United Counties Premier Division club’s secretary Simon Clark said: “It is very frustrating for everyone concerned that we have had to postpone Saturday’s match.

“While the snow can be cleared off the pitch, the ground underneath is frozen therefore making it dangerous. It is important that player and officials safety is taken into consideration at times like these.”

As the Vase takes precedence over any other competition, the game was automatically scheduled for the following Saturday, and if snow or ice once again means a postponement then, the game will be pencilled in for the following Saturday – and the Saturday after that until it is played.

This is the fourth out of five years that St Ives have reached the last 16 of the national competition.

All other games involving Huntingdonshire sides were also called off this weekend – though Southern League side St Neots Town did manage to organise a friendly with United Counties side Blackstones, which they played on their 3G all-weather pitch at the club’s Hunts Post Community Stadium.