WORSBROUGH Bridge are disappointed to miss out on playing at Oakwell but are focusing on their new Sheffield FA Senior Cup semi-final date against Barnsley under 21s as well as their promotion challenge.
The match was due to go ahead on Tuesday this week on the Oakwell showcase pitch but it has now been moved back to Tuesday, March 3 from 7.30pm at Bridge’s ground, weather permitting.
Bridge have said they were told the game was cancelled due to a floodlight issue. Barnsley declined to comment.
Worsbrough manager Lee Morris said: “It was a weird and frustrating day on Monday.
“We got a phonecall early on saying it might not be going ahead due to floodlights.
“We asked if we could play it on the main Oakwell pitch but they said no.
“They wanted to play at ours this week but our pitch is nowhere near ready, after all the rain, and we wouldn’t have been able to cater for it at short notice.
“It’s a shame because it would have been great to play at Oakwell.
“Hopefully it will be a good occasion at our place next week.
“Barnsley’s first team is at home on the same night which will be detrimental to the crowd.
“It will be our first game in two weeks which will be a bit difficult.
“But we need to still look at it as an exciting fixture and a chance for our lads to show what they can do.”
Bridge’s 21-goal top-scorer Keelan Grist had booked an early flight back from a holiday in Prague to arrive home on the Monday, only for the game to be called off. Morris said: “Keelan has asked Barnsley for a refund on his plane ticket on social media.
“But it’s not just him, a lot of lads changed their shifts at work so they could play.
“It’s been disruptive to say the least.
“We feel it could have been brought to our attention sooner but Barnsley are a professional football club with a lot of other things to think about.”
Worsbrough’s game with Doncaster City in the Northern Counties East League Division One was called off on Saturday.
They are third, ten points behind leaders Dearne and District – who are in the only automatic promotion place – and 14 clear in the four play-off places.
They are hoping to gain promotion out of that division after being in it for more than 40 years.
Bridge do not have match this weekend. They were due to play fellow top four side Wakefield on Tuesday but that game must now be rearranged due to the cup semi-final.
Morris said: “A semi-final, potentially a final, and playing Barnsley is all great but I have to focus on getting Worsbrough Bridge in the play-offs this season. We can’t let everything that happened this week be a distraction from what we want to achieve this season.
“We have hopefully 14 big games to play including the cup semi and final and the play-off semi and final.
“Two of the three teams below us lost on Saturday.
“We’re in a good position to get into the play-offs but we can’t take our foot off the gas at all.
“We just need to focus on having a really strong end to the season.”
Barnsley under 21s are set to host Coventry City on Friday from 1pm.
Barnsley under 18s lost 2-0 at Crewe Alexandra on Saturday.
They are now set to host Fleetwood Town on Saturday from 11am.
