UNLUCKY Alvechurch were left without a game again this week when their proposed top of the table clash with Cleethorpes was called off owing to a waterlogged Lye Meadow pitch.

Church boss Ian Long said: "We called the game off at 9am to save Cleethorpes from travelling. I went down to the ground myself at 10am and it was the right decision, considering the rain that followed.

"It's a shame because we would have attracted a big crowd. It didn't help that other results went against us with both Bedworth United and Frickley winning".

Long now fears a fixture backlog as Church fall behind their rivals and admitted: "It's becoming a concern. It means February becomes a very big month for us as we potentially play seven games in a 21 day period.

"It's massive because we need to take a big points haul from those games and it will prove a pivotal time for us.

"But the squad is big enough to cope."

Long was looking to give as many players as possible a run out against Rushall Olympic this week in the Birmingham Senior Cup.

Mitch Botfield, Jamie Willetts, Ben Tilbury and Simon Chinn were all expected to feature along with new signing Elliot Reeve, but goalkeeper Charlie Price and Jordat Nadat were ruled out as both are cup-tied.

Church then travel to Sheffield FC on Saturday.