Cowdenbeath and Morton ties frozen off yet again

Published on 12/12/2012 00:00

ST JOHNSTONE’S William Hill Scottish Cup clash at Cowdenbeath has been postponed for a fourth time.

The fourth-round tie, which has a trip to St Mirren Park at stake, was due to be played tonight but the Central Park pitch is still frozen and the tie has been rearranged for Monday night.

The fourth-round replay between Morton and Turriff United at Cappielow this week was also postponed and moved to Monday evening.

Tonight’s fourth-round tie between Dumbarton and Hamilton Accies, meanwhile, is in danger of being postponed for a fourth time with the Sons asking for a pitch inspection this morning ahead of the scheduled 7.45 kick-off. Dumbarton chief executive Gilbert Lawrie admitted the club might be fighting a losing battle. “The pitch was looking good on Sunday but the overnight frost ended attempts to get it played on Monday,” he said.

“It has been colder since then and the pitch is stuck hard with frost,” he said. “We have asked for a morning pitch inspection but, at the moment, it does not look good.”

A fifth-round trip to Dunfermline on 2 February awaits the winners and, if the game falls today, a fifth attempt will be made on Monday, with a scheduled First Division match between the teams next Tuesday postponed as a result.

If the game somehow beats the odds and goes ahead, Dumbarton will be missing recently appointed player-manager Ian Murray through a groin injury as well the long-term injured Pat Walker and Kevin Nicol. Goalkeeper Stephen Grindlay is available before serving a suspension and James Creaney has shrugged off a knock and can play.

The weather also affected two SFL fixtures last night. The games between Clyde and Queen’s Park and Stirling Albion and East Stirlingshire were both called off after pitch inspections.