Snow threatens chaos

Guy Hodgson assesses the damage to the fixture list caused by the weather

Stranded motorists won the prize for the most forlorn figures affected by the snow yesterday, but hard on their frustrated and frozen heels came sports administrators. As the gritters came out so did diaries as clubs attempted to get their seasons back on schedule.

The FA Cup, already an either/or mess thanks to postponements 12 days ago, descended into further chaos when five fourth-round ties last night and tonight were called off. Rugby Union's Pilkington Cup is also threatened by disruption, while horse racing would have seized up altogether but for all-weather tracks.

The concertina effect on fixtures was typified by Leeds United, who face three cup ties in seven days next week after their tie at Bolton was buried in the snow for a second time.

On Sunday they meet Birmingham in the first leg of the Coca-Cola Cup semi-final. Then they will make a third attempt to play Bolton next Wednesday. Success will earn them a home fifth-round match against Port Vale or Everton the following Saturday, 17 February.

Also, they have Premiership matches against Southampton and Queen's Park Rangers to rearrange, while the visit to Blackburn on 23 March will also be called off if Leeds reach the Coca-Cola Cup final, which is due 24 hours later.

Liverpool, whose match at Shrewsbury tonight was called off 30 hours before the kick-off, also have fixtures backing up. They will try again at Gay Meadow next Wednesday, and if successful have no chance of playing the fifth-round tie against Brentford or Charlton on the scheduled Saturday week because they will not have time to sell 41,000 tickets.

Like the FA Cup, Rugby Union's Pilkington Cup is threatening to come to an icy halt. Only one fifth-round tie was played on 27 January and the remaining seven were rearranged for this weekend. The weather forecast is not optimistic.

Two rounds of the Courage Clubs Championship have already been put back and further postponements will have a knock-on effect for England, whose players will no longer have a Saturday off in the weekend before Five Nations matches.

Racing, inevitably, has been hit hard. Yesterday's meetings at Carlisle and Warwick were called off and Ascot and Ludlow today have also been postponed. Even the all-weather track at Wolverhampton is unfit and today's card has been switched to Southwell.

The prize for the most beleaguered fixture of them all, goes to Rugby League's Silk Cut Challenge Cup tie between Whitehaven and Halifax. Their fourth-round tie was postponed for a fourth time yesterday and they will try again on Sunday, switching to an alternative venue if necessary. Failing that, a snowball fight may be held to determine the winners.

PROSPECTS FOR TONIGHT'S REMAINING FA CUP TIES: Charlton v Brentford: Snow-free. Hot-air blowers and covers to combat frost. Coventry v Manchester City: Snowing but covers on pitch. Middlesbrough v Wimbledon: Snow-free. Covers on pitch. Nottingham Forest v Oxford: Snow-free. Undersoil heating on pitch. Southampton v Crewe: Doubtful - pitch inspection at 10am. West Ham v Grimsby: Snow-free. Cover on pitch. Wolverhampton v Tottenham: Snowing. Undersoil heating on pitch but stadium and surrounding streets could be a problem. Decision at 1pm.