Constant midweek games expected after more snow wrecks fixture card

THE Scottish Cup, SPL and SFL face a mounting fixture backlog, with midweek matches now likely almost every midweek between now and May, as the weather again wreaked havoc on another weekend of fixtures.

Yesterday's Scottish Cup fourth round matches between Hearts and St Johnstone at Tynecastle and East Stirlingshire and Buckie Thistle at Ochilview were both postponed, with the capital tie now rescheduled for tomorrow evening. Hearts' game was called off on Saturday on the reasons of public safety after burst pipes at Tynecastle, with the club optimistic the game will now be played tomorrow.

A Hearts' spokesman told the club's official website: "The pitch at Tynecastle is in perfect condition. However, public safety is our priority and we were left with no option other than to postpone the game. With work having started this morning to repair the affected pipes, we are confident the tie will go ahead on Tuesday."

East Stirling's tie was postponed by match referee Anthony Law following a 9am pitch inspection at Ochilview. The heavy snow that fell on Friday and Saturday morning had been cleared from the pitch. However, fresh falls late on Saturday and early Sunday morning defeated the ground staff at the Larbert ground. A Shire spokesperson said: "It is disappointing as this was shaping up to be one of our biggest games of the season."

Saturday's Scottish Cup ties between Falkirk and Partick, Morton and Airdrie United and Queen of the South and Brechin were also called off, while the postpoinement of Threave Rovers' third round replay ensures that the South of Scotland side will go into the Scottish Cup record books. For, after playing only one game, tiny Threave's name will go into the fifth round draw next week, the first time that a South of Scotland League side has reached that stage.

Their third round replay against Stenhousemuir is now one of the longest running sagas in history. The match has now been called off 15 times since the original tie ended 2-2 at Ochilview on 20 November. And with four inches of snow lying on the pitch after an overnight blizzard the tie is again in doubt for tomorrow night.

Saturday's game at Meadow Park was called off after an inspection because of ice and snow.

Threave manager Davie McVitie said yesterday: "We must have had about for inches of snow and the pitch is frozen underneath. It's supposed to start thawing by Monday but even then we could be faced with flooding on the pitch because the ground is hard underneath. It's an absolute nightmare but we can't do anything about it. At least we're going to be into the fifth round draw and that's a first for us."

The running order for cup matches is now: Tonight - Rangers v Kilmarnock (7.30pm).Tuesday, 11 January - Heart of Midlothian v St Johnstone (7.30pm), Falkirk v Partick Thistle (7.45pm), Queen of the South v Brechin City (7.30pm), Replay - Dunfermline Athletic v Montrose (7.45pm), Threave Rovers v Stenhousemuir (7.30pm). Tuesday, 18 January - East Stirling v Buckie Thistle (tbc), Morton v Airdrie United (7.30pm), Replay - Peterhead v St Mirren (7.45pm). Wednesday, 19 January - Ayr United v Hibs (7.45pm).