Boss Paul Jewell felt that referee Dean Whitestone made the right decision to abandon Town’s game against Middlesbrough with conditions becoming dangerous, Blues skipper Ibrahima Sonko having suffered a cracked rib. The Town manager felt the pitch was playable at the start but got worse as the 37 minutes progressed.

Jewell said: “You’ve all got to play in bad conditions but when they become dangerous, as they were out there, to be honest, it becomes a bit of a farce.

“I fully understand supporters’ frustrations but as a football match it was becoming more and more of a lottery as every minute went on.

“Sonko’s cracked a rib there. If the pitch hadn’t been in that condition that probably wouldn’t have happened.

“We were playing well, no doubt about it, we were the better side. We adapted to the conditions well but the last thing you want to do is get any more injuries or lose a game due to the conditions of the pitch.”

Asked whether the referee was wrong to start the game in the first place the Liverpudlian said the surface had been fine earlier in the day: “It was a difficult one because we were here at 10 o’clock this morning and we had the balloon on the pitch, it was perfect, there wasn’t a problem with it.

“But when they took that off at about 1 o’clock, or 1.30, the weather gets into it. When I went out on to it was OK, a bit crusty, but it really was getting a bit tough, the linesman was running the line three yards on to the pitch.

“It was a right anti-climax and I feel really sorry for the supporters both of Ipswich and Middlesbrough, who had come an awful long way, but one of our players has been injured and I think that’s down to the conditions and I didn’t need any more of that.”

Jewell says Sonko’s injury played some part in the abandonment: “I think that probably came into the thinking because they’re in contact and the fourth official had relayed to him that he’d heard our physio say that he thought Sonko had cracked a rib due to his fall, which will have to be confirmed.

“A lot of the pitch was fine, that’s the frustrating thing about it, but you saw Emmanuel-Thomas slip over into the hoardings in the first couple of minutes. It’s really horrible way to end a Saturday afternoon.

“From mine and Tony Mowbray’s perspective we both wanted to see a decent football match. We were playing quite well and we were the better team.”

Earlier in the day he felt there was little question that the game would go ahead: “Me and Tony were here at 10 o’clock this morning and I didn’t think it was in doubt.

“I got a phone call to say there was a pitch inspection at 11.15 and the referee was coming to look at the pitch but it was lovely and warm under there, it was fine. As the afternoon has gone on, you could feel how cold it’s got and it’s become unplayable.

“At 10’o clock it was fine. There was only one concern, the far side, not the side we were on but the far side.

“But we got the heaters on that and that wasn’t a problem. The problem was this side, by the dugouts, where there’s a six or seven-yard strip down the pitch. I think Tony was happy at 10’o clock, I think they were less happy when it started.”

He admits that if his side had been in front when the decision was taken he might have been less pleased: “If you look back to the Leicester game last year, if it had been 0-0 at half-time, the game would have been abandoned.

“If we had scored, it would have been hard to convince me to call it off and the other way around. The referee is in an impossible position really.

“We wanted to carry on, but we don’t want to carry on and get beaten by the pitch or get another injury because of it. I know it’s horrible for the supporters and everyone connected with football but I think probably the right decision was made.

“I feel flat, I’m usually ranting and raving at this time, so it’s quite nice to be calm. We’re disappointed. We’ll be in tomorrow because we’ve got a game on Tuesday.”

Jewell says he expects Sonko to miss Tuesday’s game at Portsmouth and confirmed that he is looking for loan cover at centre-half: “It’s looking that way. We don’t know definitely but that’s what the physio’s thinks he’s done so he’ll be away to the hospital to get an x-ray.

“We were looking to bring people in anyway but that really leaves us stretched at the back anyway.”

Photo: Action Images

Hermann_eats_puffin added 10:56 - Feb 12 This was a really frustrating day and I'm as frustrated as everybody to have wasted money on petrol. However I don't think that jumping on the bandwagon of slinging mud at the club, Clegg etc is entirely fair. The freezing weather is hardly the fault of Clegg and as a club I don't see how they could have done much more to get the game on. No we haven't got undersoil heating put given that we don't we have invested in the tent to do as much as we can to prevent games from being postponed. Presumably at Peterborough they haven't bothered spending the money on undersoil heating or a tent/pitch cover so they had absolutely no chance of getting their game on. Now at Town despite the fact that Fridays overnight temperature of -13 the pitch when inspected at 10am was playable. In circumstances whereby overnight temperatures are below freezing followed by daytime temperatures being above freezing the pitch would have been fine. However in these circumstances whereby not even the daytime temperatures got above freezing then of course once the tent/ covers and heating is taken away the pitch is going to freeze. Now perhaps if everybody had bang on accurate weather forecasts which could guarantee that the daytime temperature would not be high enough to prevent areas of the pitch from freezing when the cover came off then perhaps a decision should have been taken on Friday to call the game off. However given the number of times the weather forecast gets it wrong it's difficult to make a call with any certainty. Yes the chances were stacked against us and it's easy with hindsight to say of course it would be too cold to complete the game. At the time I can totally understand the desire of Jewell & the players to do all they can to get the game played. We've been playing well and are perhaps at the start of a good run. Boro have players injured and have just played extra time in a midweek cup game so it's the perfect time for us to try and take advantage. As fans we were in the main probably all hoping to see the game go ahead because we thought it would be a good opportunity to take 3 points from a side not far off the top of the table. Those throwing mud at Mowbray though should be ashamed. He is and will remain a Town legend. Even if he did think that the game shouldn't be played that's perfectly understandable. He is currently the Boro manager and is paid to do the best for that club and should only have their interests in mind. I'm sure that Boro didn't fancy it after their midweek game and neither Mowbray or Boro are there to do us any favours. It's ridiculous to be throwing abuse at either the Town ground staff or the stewards because the ground staff have done all they can battling against the weather and it's hardly the stewards decision to call the game off. Under the circumstances I think that the referee has to take his fair share of the blame given that he has effectively changed his mind. If he had so much doubt at the 11:15 pitch inspection he should have made the call to get the game off then. Another factor has to be considered though which is that the BBC cameras were there as we were due to be the main game on the Football League show. You can't discount pressure being put on by tv to get the game on. Though the pressure wouldn't have be the same as from Sky when we were playing Leicester in a live game but it can't be discounted as a factor. Looking back at it I think it was a no win stations because people would have moaned if (a) the game was postponed before the game, (b) it was played for 90 mins and some of our players had got injured or (c) under the circumstances whereby it was abandoned. I agree with the comments above that sh*t happens and getting angry about it doesn't help and neither does wanting to vent anger at almost all involved. Lets move on and just try to not let this get in the way on concentrating on getting 3 points against Portsmouth.

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millerman added 11:18 - Feb 12 There should be a full, written explanation from the referee and both managers explaining exactly what went off in terms of the decision making process for the game to go ahead. This would stop the rumours/accusations For example, did PJ put pressure on the Ref because Boro were understrength? Not having a go at PJ but there should be some honesty here as probably unfair for the Ref to take all the flack. Game off not Clegg's fault but statements made after match are definitely down to him!

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markw added 11:30 - Feb 12 Ref should never referee again why pass 2 pitch inspections and stop the game after 30 odd mins,when he new the temperature was never going to get out of the low minus. FA act and SACK the joker of a ref
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callmeted added 11:43 - Feb 12 i have read some rubbish on here before but calling for Clegg and Evans to quit because a game got cancelled is ludicrous even for some of you. The officials make the desicion not Clegg, AND then for the posts telling us thats 3 points lost !! i take it we wont beat them again. might as well send a letter to them not to turn up and we will give them the three points. Everyones p***ed off that the game was called off. A town groundsman has been on telling you why. Find something else to bitch about

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britbiker added 11:48 - Feb 12 What a shame just as we were finally getting behind the club and team with a couple of good wins, this PR nightmare happens and all the positivity from the last two weeks has been blown away. I think once Town have time to asses the fans mood they will eventually do the right thing and agree free entry to all at the match (not sure how they will cope with those who cannot make the re-match as this will be lost revenue) maybe they could also then do a 50% reduction to the next match as well and thus pulling in a bigger crowd for another game and hopefully get back some to the lost momentum caused by this weekends farce. Maybe I could be synical and say PJ may have looked at the Delayney, Smith combo and thought lets stop the game now.

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ip5w1ch added 12:20 - Feb 12 I agree the game should have been called off earlier but they made their decisions based on the pitch at that time. Its frustrating to go and then have the game called off but everyone moaning so vehemently needs to get a little perspective. As for slagging off the club's management grow up and check your terms and conditions when you buy your ticket. You want top players and long term deals and investing in the academy then you expect them to write of thousands of pounds at the same time....this club isnt run by halfwits but it is sure watched by a few.

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DutchTownFan added 12:38 - Feb 12 We had such a good stream......................... Surely the pitch couldn't change much in 37 minutes?
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village_blue added 12:59 - Feb 12 How come a reserve match can be played at Playford Road on Tuesday and yet the match on at Portman Road was abandoned? Agree that IF the match was in doubt it should have been called off at the earlier pitch inspection.Also where the assistant ref was running the line Brittania side around the edge of the pitch is the field turf like on the area behind the stand and it's not grass like the rest of the pitch and the Ref. didn't appear to have any trouble with keeping his feet ,so the only person to blame for the abandonment is the assistant ref.

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IrvinGernonsShorts added 14:22 - Feb 12 Village blue, I agree. How come I managed to play an amateur sunday league match in august? And on saturday matches were still going ahead in brazil, yet still we can't finish a game on the coldest day of the year. Come on clegg and evans, either build a roof or have a word with the big fella upstairs. And while we're at it, we may as well get rid of all the refs and assistant refs now and use the money to buy a big pie in the sky

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IrvinGernonsShorts added 14:23 - Feb 12 Village blue, I agree. How come I managed to play an amateur sunday league match in august? And on saturday matches were still going ahead in brazil, yet still we can't finish a game on the coldest day of the year. Come on clegg and evans, either build a roof or have a word with the big fella upstairs. And while we're at it, we may as well get rid of all the refs and assistant refs now and use the money to buy a big pie in the sky

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brittaniaman added 15:33 - Feb 12 The game was 24hrs. to early to beat the weather, looking outside now the snow is melting,it is 3 degrees,, no frost,, compare to this time yesterday !! ref was just about to call the game off,, sickening really ??? our weather/////
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TractorJed added 18:04 - Feb 12 You cant blame the ref, he is just working within the requirements of the FA. 11am - Pitch inspection - pitch playable 2pm - Pitch Playable 3pm Still Playable 3.30pm part of the pitch unplayable - game abandoned. It doesnt matter if 98% of the pitch is payable, the whole pitch has to be safe if not game doesnt go ahead. If he carries on and a player gets injured who gets the chop??? Dont forget the groundsman would have been consulted about how the pitch reacts to certain weather conditions and his opinion would have been taken into consideration. All those who have asked why the ref didnt go on tv or radio to explain himself, well thats because the FA disapprove, everyone moans that the refs are minor celebs these days then they moan because they wont come out and get in to a televised debate about decisions etc. The match officials would never win!!!!

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s6blue added 18:22 - Feb 12
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Urchin added 20:00 - Feb 12 The soluiton is easy - repay the Middlesbor' supporters in full - refund all children under 12 who will be the supporters of the future. Everyone else buy a season ticket and shut up. You come to see town once in a blue moon and then think you have every right to bitch kick and scream.
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