TIVIDALE stole a march on local clubs this week by playing a friendly fixture against West Midlands League high flyers Wolves Casuals.

The Packwood Road side anticipated their Midland Alliance clash with Kirby Muxloe would fall victim to the weather and booked the 3G pitch at Portway Leisure Centre centre in Newbury Lane.

Club spokesman Leon Murray explained: “We just waited to see what fixtures would be called off and when Wolves Casuals game against Lye went down, we got in touch and arranged to play them on Saturday afternoon instead.

“We already train at Newbury Lane, as do a number of clubs and we had to start thinking ahead.

“3G pitches are definitely the way ahead - they’ve come a long we since I used to play on them and I must admit I’ve been very impressed with the facilities at Newbury Lane.

“Our pitch is already waterlogged and every time it rains, it keeps tipping it over the edge. We really need three or four days of drive weather to sort the pitch out.

“Our groundsman is working on the pitch everyday and it’s a heartbreaking situation.

“The FA have got to start looking at 3G pitches and start helping clubs at our level, but this situation of postponed matches is coming around every year now - it’s not something new!

Tividale are already looking at having their Walsall Senior Cup clash with Walsall Wood being played on Sutton Coldfield Town’s 3G pitch and Murray believes some of their other cup matches should now be played on the same surface.

Already Tividale have fallen behind with their league fixtures and if the wet weather persists for much longer, they will be having to play three times a week.

Tividale are due to visit Alvechurch this Saturday. Alliance neighbours Gornal Athletic are set to face former manager Ian Rowe when they host Tipton Town at Garden Walk.

West Midlands League side Dudley Town host Wellington Ams while Dudley Sports travel to Bromyard.