FREEZING temperatures decimated New Year's Day football fixtures with not a single game being played in Worcestershire or Herefordshire.

Worcester City's Dr Martens Premier Division clash with Hednesford Town was called off yesterday morning due to a frozen St George's Lane pitch while Hereford United's match with Telford United at Edgar Street also fell victim to the weather. Kidderminster's game at Mansfield was postponed on Monday.

Other matches off included Halesowen Town v Evesham United and Stourport Swifts v Redditch United in the Dr Martens Western Division.

City boss John Barton was happy for his side's match to be postponed. "I'm not in favour of playing on skating rink pitches and with 19 games to go I would rather rearrange it and play on a decent surface," he said.

"As a player I never enjoyed playing on frozen pitches and I've always believed if there is any doubt it's best to call it off.

"There must also be doubts about Stafford Rangers on Saturday because it is a notoriously bad surface and if the weathermen are right it must be doubtful whether it will go ahead."

Barton is due to have talks today with the hope of extending the loan periods of Burton Albion's Mark Blount and Kidderminster Harreirs' Stewart Hadley which come to an end on Saturday.

Midfielder Jon Holloway is due to begin a three-match suspension against Stafford for his sending-off against Tiverton Town while Leon Jackson has a one-match ban for five bookings.