The Women’s Super League match between Chelsea and Liverpool was abandoned after just six minutes of play due to a frozen pitch, despite having passed an inspection earlier in the day.
The match at Kingsmeadow looked in danger of being called off when the original inspection took place at 9:30am, but the idea of the game being pushed back was muted and the match went ahead at 12:30pm as planned.
However, it was immediately apparent that the surface was unplayable and posed a threat to player safety, with referee Paul Howard abandoning the game shortly after kick-off.
The decision to start the game despite the obvious risks drew criticism from both managers, as well as players on both sides and from across the WSL, while there was further frustration for the supporters who travelled to watch.
Chelsea midfielder Erin Cuthbert had looked visibly uncomfortable after making a slide tackle in the opening stages, and a number of other players also had trouble keeping their footing.
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Blues boss Emma Hayes said: “You could see from the opening minutes that it was like an ice rink down the sides. Matt Beard [Liverpool’s manager] was upset that it even got to point and he’s right.
“It’s not for managers to decide if it’s on – it’s up to the FA and officials. We have to say to ourselves that it’s time for undersoil heating. We’ve got to take our game seriously. Yes, we can have our blowers and pitch tents but it’s not enough.”
She added: “We’ve made progress with investment into the quality of grasses and surfaces across the league. No game at the top level of the women’s game should be cancelled. We need undersoil heating – we don’t live in Barbados.”
Beard said: “It was frozen this morning, frozen in the warmup. I’m just gutted for our fans who got up at five o’clock this morning to be here. We said we were unhappy to play on it and the ref said it was alright. Whoever made the decision for the game to be on, it’s put players at risk today.”
Fellow Chelsea player Kadeisha Buchanan posted an Instagram story expressing her frustration, saying: “It’s mindboggling that there’s games/trainings [sic] being cancelled because of frozen pitches throughout the league…Where’s our ratings as women footballers?”
Like Hayes, others were quick to point out the need for improved facilities at WSL grounds, especially for those without undersoil heating, such as Kingsmeadow.
Liverpool’s forward Katie Stengel questioned why the match was not played at Stamford Bridge instead, given Chelsea’s men’s team were not using after playing against Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday.
England and Arsenal winger Beth Mead tweeted: “On a serious note, one of the top leagues in Europe and we are cancelling games cause of frozen pitches. Not good enough, the women’s game is heading in the right direction but still a long way to go.”
Mead’s Arsenal teammate Vivianne Miedema tweeted: “Players safety should always come first. Luckily no one got injured today. Only way to fix this is to demand undersoil heating or playing our games in men’s stadiums. FA and clubs, please do better.”
Former England manager Hope Powell said: “It is very embarrassing, it is a shame for the travelling fans. They should have cancelled it before, the pitch was hard and I was dubious it would go ahead. But to start the game and then realise five minutes in it was dangerous to many players, is very embarrassing, it is not a good look.”
Tottenham’s WSL match against Leicester which was due to take place at Brisbane Road on Saturday, was also postponed due to a frozen pitch, while Brighton’s game against Arsenal on Sunday evening will also undergo a pitch inspection.
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