Canvey Island face the prospect of bidding to win a place in the last 16 of the FA Trophy without the vocal backing of their yellow army of supporters.

Gulls were due to visit Nationwide Conference Northwich Victoria on Saturday, February 1, in the fourth round.

Chase me - Canvey goalscorer Lee Boylan is pursued by team-mates Neil Gregory and Ben Chenery Picture: LUAN MARSHALL

But they received the shock news from their hosts that the big game cannot be played on that date.

Northwich no longer have a home of their own after their Drill Field headquarters -- the oldest professional ground in the country -- was sold for redevelopment.

They are now tenants of Unibond Division One Witton Albion, who get first refusal on playing at the ground and have a home League match with Eastwood on February 1.

Despite the prestige of the Trophy competition, the FA were apparently unable to intervene and so ruled that the game must be played by Sunday, February 2.

That meant Gulls faced the prospect of playing on a pitch in mid-winter that would almost certainly have been cut up by action only 24 hours earlier if they agreed to the date.

But King's men opted for Friday January 31 with a 7.45pm kick-off instead, which means that scores of Canvey fans will not be able to get away from work to make the four hour-plus trip to Cheshire for the big game.

Canvey secretary Frances Roche said: "We were surprised to say the least that the FA couldn't intervene to order that the Trophy match should take preference but, as they were powerless to intervene, we've decided to go for the Friday night."

Published Monday, January 20, 2003

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