Concerns over field preservation as Premier Division matches postponed

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The Antigua and Barbuda Football Association (ABFA) has been forced to postpone matches scheduled for this weekend in its top flight.
The body issued a release on Wednesday, stating that matches slated for the Antigua Recreation Grounds (ARG) on Saturday and Sunday will be rescheduled for a later date as they seek to accommodate the staging of a concert at the venue.
President of the ABFA, Everton Gonsalves, said the interruption to the Premier Division is certainly an unwelcomed one at this time but the matter is out of their hands.
“That’s the nature of the game, it could have been an act of God. It could have been weather and so many other things and so we’re just giving God thanks that we can accommodate a show that is honouring the father of the nation and we at football will continue to work with any person harmoniously. It’s just so sad that the ministry could not have informed us in time so we could have made the adequate and necessary preparations but that is another thing we can get into,” he said. 
On Saturday, Five Islands was scheduled to play Greenbay Hoppers at 5 p.m. while SAP was scheduled to play Old Road at 7  p.m.
Sunday, Tryum was slated to face Empire at 3 p.m. Parham vs. Pigotts Bullets at 5 p.m. while Swetes would have faced Grenades at 7 p.m.
His major concern, Gonsalves said, is the preservation of the playing surface.
“There is indeed concerns but the promoter is a man that is concerned about the quality of football and the less damage he can inflict on the field area. So we’re approaching it very cautiously but I understand where the promoter is coming from, and it just goes to show that football will have to take its knocks here and there but at the end of the day football will always come out on top and address whatever damage, if any, on the field,” he said.
The competition continues on 16th December when Grenades face Tryum at 5:00 p.m. and Old Road play Pigotts Bullets at 7 p.m.

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