Non-league clash postponed as players’ train cancelled and fans demand ‘relegation for this absolute joke’

A NON-LEAGUE football match has been postponed after the club’s train was CANCELLED en route to the game.

AFC Fylde were due to host Southend United at Mill Farm at 3pm today.

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The non-league clash between AFC Fylde and Southend was cancelled after a train cancellation[/caption]

However, a National League statement announced that the game would no longer take place today after the visitors’ train suffered a power failure.

A statement said: “This afternoon’s fixture between AFC Fylde and Southend United has been postponed, the National League can confirm.

“Following the cancellation of Southend’s train out of Euston this morning, the team were unable to get to the north west in time for the match.

“The game at Mill Farm therefore could not go ahead as scheduled and will now be played later in the season.

“A date for the rearranged fixture will be announced in due course.”

The estimated distance of the travel is 220 miles.

A Southend statement said: “The train carrying our players to the game has suffered a power failure between stations.

“The train left London at 10.18am and was due to arrive in Preston at 12.39.

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“Avanti West Coast are in the process of organising an ‘evacuation train’ which will take the players back to London.

“It is currently unclear when the evacuation train will arrive and so a decision has been made to postpone the game.

“We apologise to our supporters for the inconvenience caused. For those who are already in Fylde, we have put some money behind the supporters’ bar at the stadium – please have a beer on us.”

According to the National Rail website, the entire London Northwestern Railway network has been hit by further disruption due to a shortage of train crews.

The disruption is expected to continue until the end of the day.

Reacting to the news of the delay, one Southend fan fumed online: “Relegation for this absolute joke of a club.”

A second said: “We got be staying on the night before what a joke this.”

A third said: “Guys come on this is absolutely dreadful…”

Another said: “Big question is why on earth are we not travelling up the night before?”

A fifth added: “Should be deducted points for that. Shambles.”

However, one fan praised the club for their gesture of putting money behind the bar for those who had already travelled.

Another said: “There look at the positive here we can get week traning in with the news player and we got a week to get more players in for the weekend so there just think that.”

Southend’s next game sees them visit Oldham next Saturday.

They have won one and drew three of their five league games so far.

Meanwhile, Fylde host Yeovil next weekend.

They have won one and drawn two of their five matches.