Pilgrims are given weekend off due to icy surface in Southend
Plymouth Argyle manager John Sheridan has admitted he was disappointed by the postponement of today's npower League Two game at Southend United because of a frozen pitch.
Sheridan had been hoping the 22nd-placed Pilgrims would be able to build on their 2-1 victory over Morecambe at Home Park last Saturday in his first match as their boss.
However, the wintry weather which has swept across the country put paid to that. A pitch inspection was carried out at Roots Hall at 10.30am yesterday – an hour before the Argyle squad had been scheduled to leave for Southend.
It was immediately apparent there was no chance of the game being played. Sheridan said: "I'm not surprised but I'm disappointed. We've worked hard all week to prepare for the game.
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"We wanted to play and try to build on our win against Morecambe but, unfortunately, it was not to be.
"We gave the lads a tough training session and we will start work again on Monday. We've got to get ready for two home games coming up in which we will be looking to pick up points."
Argyle return to action next Saturday when Accrington Stanley visit Home Park. The Pilgrims will then host Dagenham and Redbridge on Saturday, February 2.
The pitch covers had been on at Roots Hall all week but were unable to stop the ground from becoming frozen.
Southend chief executive Steve Kavanagh said: "It's disappointing because we would have liked to have got the game on. Unfortunately the weather has meant the pitch has become frozen and it was deemed dangerous to play on.
"Of course, we also had to take into consideration the long journey that Plymouth Argyle would have to make to get here."
Southend would almost certainly have been without defender Ryan Cresswell and midfield duo Kevan Hurst and Marc Laird because of injuries, had the game against Argyle gone ahead.
The Essex side's manager, former Plymouth boss Paul Sturrock, said: "In some ways, the postponement is a benefit in kind. We've got quite a few injuries at the moment and they [the absent players] would not have been available. So in that sense it's good."
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