Saturday 16 April 2016 16:22, UK
Head coach Sam Bird feels Hertfordshire Mavericks have been unfairly penalised by the decision to replay the away match against Manchester Thunder.
The top two sides in the Vitality Netball Superleague had originally met in Manchester on April 2, but after a leak in the roof at the Thunderdome had delayed the start of the match, officials then halted the action at the end of the first quarter due to safety concerns about the wet court, with hosts Manchester leading 14-9.
The fixture has now been rescheduled for the evening of Monday April 25, meaning leaders Mavericks will again face second-placed Thunder, just a few days after Hertfordshire's clash against reigning champions Surrey Storm.
Mavericks lost their appeal against the rescheduling of the match in Manchester, despite the league's ruling that Thunder were "unable to provide a safe playing surface".
Hertfordshire coach Bird told Sky Sports: "The appeal was basically about the date of which the game should be played and where it should be played.
"We were the non-offending team, but the actual effect of the decision was to penalise us, by requiring us to travel back up to Manchester to play a game, which was abandoned through no fault of our own.
"The tricky thing, and what people don't really understand, is because we're still very amateur in truth in terms of our staff and personnel. This is a new date and people will now have to apply to take time off school, off college, off work. Some of our players will lose money.
"You're looking at nearly an 18 hour trip from start to finish and my concern was we're really struggling the next day. It also has an impact on our training and our process through to the semi-final."
Thunder head coach Dan Ryan sympathised with Hertfordshire's concerns, but believes the replay is the "best outcome".
"I think player management at this time is always at the forefront of every coach's mind," Ryan told Sky Sports. "Just like it is with us at Thunder.
"I can certainly understand Sam Bird's concerns from a player welfare perspective for Mavericks, but it is just an unfortunate situation in terms of what happened a couple of weeks ago.
"I think for the integrity of the competition, the best outcome has come forward. To have the replay going ahead is the result that both franchises deserve to have I guess, and for the fans, who get to see the top two teams go head-to-head."
Bird admitted Hertfordshire were willing to play at a neutral venue, but now must squeeze a double-header into their busy schedule.
She said: "The rules allow them to split the points if the game cannot be replayed and also we feel that they could have switched the fixture, so that Thunder came to us, or found a venue that would have been equal for both teams in terms of travel.
"They chose not to do that and whilst we still don't agree with that decision, we obviously have to respect it and move on."
