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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Laura Hartley

Liverpool boss furious after 'players put at risk' before cancellation after seven minutes

Matt Beard's fury at the abandonment of the Liverpool Women game away at Chelsea today was clear as he seemed almost lost for words.

The match was called off just seven minutes into the game due to a frozen pitch - despite there being an inspection at 9.30am this morning.

After not even ten minutes of play, referee Paul Howard halted the game, gathering the players and managers to discuss the safety of everybody playing.

READ MORE: Liverpool Women game at Chelsea abandoned after just SEVEN minutes due to frozen pitch

Beard told BBC Two following the abandonment: "They said about the players slipping on several occasions. Both players from both sides have slipped. Like I said before, the game should have never gone ahead.

"I don't know why it took six or seven minutes to find out, it was frozen this morning, and frozen in warm up.

"I'm gutted for our fans, they set off at 5am this morning. Whoever makes the decision for the game to be on, it put players at risk today."

"They were going to give it a chance, so that was the explanation. It wasn't safe down there [the dugout side]. There were patches in the centre and other areas. I guess where they had the heat, but the majority of the pitch, it wasn't the case.

"Chelsea have done everything they can to try and get the game on. I'm surprised it kicked off at 12.30pm because we got told this morning that we can try and kick off the game at 2pm, but we've got the phone call to say that the game was back on at 12.30pm. I was a bit surprised.

"At the end of the day, the temperature was not going to change all day. It's only going to get colder now."

A new date will have to be found for the tie at Kingsmeadow to be replayed.

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