'Pitch was playable by kick-off': After crucial game against Crossgates Primrose is postponed, Glenrothes FC co-manager John Martin calls for later matchday pitch inspections

"Unfortunately the league wants you to call the game on or off before 10am which isn’t ideal,” Martin told the Glenrothes Gazette. “There was mostly just a crust of ice on the top of the pitch then which had been thawed round about lunchtime.

"If the inspection had been two hours later the game would have been on.

"So I think the 10am deadline should be put back a couple of hours, especially if you are playing against a team from just down the road.

"The boys were really frustrated because they were dying to get the game on.

“Crossgates did offer to swap the game to their park but by the time they did that it was just too late as we had already told the players the game was off.

“Crossgates are just above us so it would have been a good opportunity to try and climb above them.

"But we’ve still got two games to play against them now so I would say there’s still plenty time.

"We had booked Lumphinnans Sports Hub for a friendly game between 1pm and 3pm but we were unsuccessful in getting someone to play us so we just trained instead.”

Third-bottom Glens host 11th-placed Tynecastle in the league this Saturday with kick-off at 2pm.

“We had a few players out last Saturday so it was probably a blessing that game being off,” Martin added.

"Kyle Bell is starting to come back from a long term injury after having an operation on his cruciate knee ligaments last year.

"He played a few minutes against Hill of Beath so we’re just trying to get him up to match fitness.

"Hopefully he’ll be involved in some part of the game against Tynecastle.