THE recent freezing weather has left the Huws Gray Alliance League facing a massive fixture backlog with almost two thirds of their remaining fixtures needing to be squeezed in between now and April.
A total whiteout over the festive period meant that just 40 per cent of the league programme had been completed by the end of December with the other 60 per cent needing to be scheduled before the proposed finishing date of April 2.
With the cancellation of Llandudno’s Christmas derby with Rhyl, the Maesdu Parc outfit have only played once since November 20 - a 1-1 draw at Cefn Druids on December 11.
Now an extension to the season looks inevitable as clubs face the prospect of playing two or more games a week to catch up. No-one from the HGA was available for comment.
The Welsh Premier League have already extended their phase one season by three weeks and the Alliance’s counterparts in South Wales - the Welsh Football League - have confirmed their campaign will be extended well into May.
With better weather forecast for January, clubs will hope to catch up on the backlog but in a poll on the HGA website, 67 per cent of voters said ‘no’ to a winter break.
Colwyn Bay FC’s match at Nantwich was another victim of the freeze, with the Seagulls next in action on New Years Day away to Ashton Utd.
There were further cancelations in the Welsh Alliance, with Glan Conwy’s fixture against Llanrwst and the derby clash between Llandudno Junction and Conwy United also put on ice, as were Rhos United and Mochdre Sports’ final games of 2010.
United and Junction will be hoping for more joy on Monday January 3 when they renew their rivalry, with Glan Conwy scheduled to travel to Llanrwst on the same day.
At the turn of the year, Conwy United’s Toby Jones sits top of the league’s goalscoring chart, having found the back of the net 14 times this season.
Llandudno Junction hitmen Jack Higgins and Mike Lundstrum also got in on the act, with nine and eight goals a-piece.
Ed Haley is also a chart topper, with his 13 league goals for Rhos United putting him top of the pops in the Clwyd League.
Fellow Rhos forward Neil Brown is in joint fifth place with nine goals, whilst Mochdre Sports attacked Steffan Whitley is also in joint tenth with seven strikes.