A cut above the rest

Our U12 Girls' parent-manager and another parent of a player spent over four hours giving the 9v9 pitch a trim when Havant Borough Council didn't cut it before a semi-final was due to be played.

Everything was in order for the Widbrook United Girls vs Andover New Street Youth under 12’s semi-final on Saturday except for one thing - the grass was too long.

Josh, manager of Widbrook United Girls, and Colin White, a father of one of the players, were left with no other option at Barton's Green in Leigh Park after Havant Borough Council didn’t respond to their request to have the grass cut.

Josh said: ‘I emailed the council on Monday or Tuesday saying can you cut the grass - didn’t get a reply.

‘So I and the other dad took it upon ourselves to get a couple of petrol lawnmowers after work and cut the grass for four and a half hours.

‘By the end of it honestly, we were knackered, our legs were aching - on a Friday I finish work at 12.30, I literally finished and went to Bartons Green to cut the grass.

‘One of the lawnmowers broke, we had to take our shoelaces off and attach it to the mower to get it started. We cut about half of the pitch then the lace snapped so we had to use our other laces for the second half.

Despite the efforts of the volunteers, the Widbrook girls conceded a late goal causing a 2-1 loss.

Keith Turner, Chairman of Widbrook United, said: ‘The pitch is looked after by Havant Borough Council and Norse - they have a contract to cut it once a month and when it’s been raining or whatever they can’t.'

(Source: The News)