Further rows over Welsh Cup tie venue

Flint Town United have successfully appealed against this weekend’s FAW Welsh Cup tie being switched to Caerau Ely FC, much to the Cardiff-based side’s derision.

The game was originally switched because two cancellations up at Flint mean under competition rules that the fixture is switched to the opponents’ ground. But Flint appealed the decision, believed to be based on the fact that the first postponement wasn’t their fault as it was called on the advice of the FAW due to the heavy snow in south Wales before the game’s proposed date of January 19. It was adjudged as too dangerous for Caerau to travel on that date.

Caerau, unhappy at the decision to switch the game back to Flint, took to Twitter. They said: “The [FAW] have gone against their own rules and we now have to go up to [Flint] to replay our game. It makes you ask why we bother.

“We had an email from [the FAW] saying the decision they made for [the] game to be played was final and [we] could not appeal their decision. I wonder if the English FA would make the same decision?

“The [FAW] cannot go against their own rules. It is unethical and immoral to make such decisions despite clear evidence.

“We have adhered to all the rules expected by us and feel extremely let down by the [FAW]. We will fulfil our fixture as requested.

“If this is the route the [FAW] are heading then we are worried about the future of Welsh Football. We aim to take this matter further.”

Flint also confirmed the switch of the fixture back to their Cae-y-Castell ground.

An FAW spokesperson said: “The committee chairman made the decision initially to switch the game to Caerau but Flint appealed, and the full committee sat and decided to side with Flint so the game was switched back to Cae-yr-Castell.”

The game will kick off on Saturday, February 2 at 2.30pm.

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Caerau Ely lament fruitless trip to Flint

Caerau Ely chairman Mark Rees has labelled the decision to allow the team to travel 426 miles for a Welsh Cup football game at Flint Town that was “never going to be played” an “absolute joke”.

The fourth-round tie was doubtful for Saturday, January 26, but the capital city minnows made the trip to North Wales, which is a 332-426-mile round trip depending on which route they chose, after being told by an FAW official the game would be on.

Mr Rees said: “They were desperate to get the game on due to the double postponement rule (which sees the game switched to the away side’s ground if it is called off twice).

“They had a pitch inspection at 7.30am and we were told by the FAW official the game would be 100 per cent on. When we were an hour from Flint the same official called and again there was no issue.

“We arrived at quarter to one and the pitch was like a swimming pool, there was no way it would ever have gone ahead.

“There’s a bit of controversy because we should never have travelled. It cost us several hundred pounds to get there. We think it’s a bit selfish really.

“They worked really hard and were desperate to get the game on but it’s a shame we travelled. We really wanted to play.”

Caerau posted on Twitter: “It is unacceptable for a small club to travel all the way to north Wales to play a game on a pitch which was totally unplayable.”

An official statement from Flint Town said: “We regret that the game was called off at such late notice, approximately an hour before the scheduled kick-off. However, we have acted in good faith throughout, and following an early morning inspection by a Welsh Premier League official, the pitch was passed fit.

“In the intervening hours, a team of committee men and supporters worked hard to clear the remaining surface water off the pitch. However, the appointed match official decided that the pitch was unplayable following his inspection.

“Although it is true that there were still areas of surface water on the pitch, we were disappointed at this decision, especially as the game at near neighbours Connahs Quay went ahead in similar circumstances.

“This is the second successive week that this tie has been postponed. However, we would stress that on the first occasion this was done specifically at the request of the Welsh FA, who deemed the prevailing road conditions in the south Wales area meant that it was too dangerous for Caerau Ely to travel.”

An FAW spokesperson said: “After the first inspection (on the day) it was felt the game could go ahead. There was snow on the pitch but it was okay underneath.

“It was the same after a further inspection, and attempts were made to clear the snow off the pitch. But by kick-off the pitch was unplayable as a lot of the snow had melted.

“Although the decision was made by the match official, both clubs agreed the game couldn’t be played.”

Mr Rees confirmed that Caerau’s Cwrt-Yr-Ala ground would host the re-arranged fourth round tie, with a place in the quarter-finals at stake. It takes place this Saturday (February 2).

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