Ian Clarke Dereham Town's postponed FA Vase match at Larkhall Athletic on Saturday could cost the club �3000.The Magpies will be eager to win the re-arranged match this weekend at Bath, which would guarantee the club �1500 in prize money.

Ian Clarke

Dereham Town's postponed FA Vase match at Larkhall Athletic on Saturday could cost the club �3000.

The Magpies will be eager to win the re-arranged match this weekend at Bath, which would guarantee the club �1500 in prize money.

But even those winnings would only cover the costs to Dereham of the frustrating fruitless trip last weekend.

And the club now faces a similar bill to get the team down to the west country and pay for overnight accommodation ahead of the re-scheduled fourth round tie.

The game was called off by a local referee on Saturday at about 10am due to standing water on the Larkhall pitch.

Dereham's players and committee members were about 20 miles away staying in Swindon but were told about the postponement rather consulted about whether it was worth waiting to see if conditions improved.

On Friday Larkhall officials said the pitch was playable but heavy overnight rain changed the situation.

The Dereham contingent was shocked as the weather was fine in Swindon and they travelled home in bright sunshine.

Dozens of supporters were about half way to Bath when they were told the news.

Dereham's first team manager Matty Henman said after the call off: “We will need to get it out of our system and we might take out the frustration on them next week.”

Aldiss Park manager Ginny Barnes - who is co-ordinating the arrangements for the rescheduled match - said: “It was disappointing all round and we have been lumbered with all the costs. It will cost the club about �3000.”

The potential prize money is important and Dereham will also get a share of the takings from Saturday's game.

If Dereham win at Larkhall, they will face a trip in the fifth round to either fellow Ridgeons League premier division side Needham Market or AFC Flyde, who beat Lowestoft in last year's final under their previous name of Kirkham and Wesham. The two sides drew 0-0 on Saturday and will have to replay in Lancashire.

No-one was available from Larkhall to comment on the circumstances around the call off. It followed two postponements in the previous round of the FA Vase.

On the club's website it says: “The Plain Ham facilities boast one of the best playing facilities around.”

Larkhall are due to play a re-arranged league game at home tomorrow so that could give an indication as to whether the conditions have improved.

The re-arranged fixture will cause further scheduling headaches for Dereham, who face another long trip on Tuesday to Stanway in the league cup.