John Still felt referee Daniel Lamport was right to postpone Maidstone’s game at Billericay.

The New Lodge pitch had been deemed playable by a local official at 9.30am but the game was called off shortly before 2pm after match referee Lamport carried out his own inspection.

Billericay players trained on the pitch - suggesting they felt it was OK - but Still believes Lamport made the correct call.

“I didn’t think it was playable,” said Maidstone’s head of football.

“I know all the Billericay lads and they’re all saying they’ve played on worse.

“Listen, they probably have, I know it’s been bad here, I understand.

“We were all concerned about the top right hand corner.

“The ref had a look at it, wasn’t happy with it and he put his boots on to test it.

“Listen, I’m not the referee, the referee decides if it’s on or off, I don't have a say in it.

“If they ask my opinion, I don’t think it was playable but if the referee says we play, we play.”

Given the state of the pitch, travelling fans were surprised it passed the earlier inspection.

But Still added: “With the greatest respect, I’ve had that before.

“A local ref comes in, they have a look and then the main ref comes in and his responsibility is for the players’ welfare.

“The referee this morning hasn’t really got that problem, has he?

“I’ve been on there and I didn’t think the pitch was playable.

“Billericay have some players who didn’t think the pitch was playable but they don’t think the pitch has been playable a few times and they’ve played."

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