Livingston boss David Martindale admitted it was the correct call to postpone their Premiership clash with Dundee United due to a frozen pitch.
With temperatures dipping as low as -8 over recent days, the gaffer says the surface was simply unsafe - despite them putting a tonne and a half of salt on the park as well as having cleared the snow.
And it's not just the players who were left frustrated as a bumper crowd was expected in the Lions' final home game before Christmas thanks to thousands of tickets being handed out to the local community.
He commented: "There have been three or four nights when it has been minus 8 which obviously has an impact.
“The first 20mm of the playing surface is OK but there is a 60mm sand base underneath the rubber that is absolutely frozen solid. It is like concrete.
“The sprinkler system 16 inches underneath the park is frozen as well, so that shows how cold it has been here.
“For the players’ safety the game just couldn’t happen. We were probably a day early and if we had another day or two with temperatures above freezing then we might have had it on.
“But you have to put the players first. It would be OK to run on but if you were taking it into a competitive game it was unsafe for the boys. Everyone is disappointed it is off but you have to put the players first."
He added: "We have 3500 fans coming to the game through the community ticket scheme. The boy in the kiosk has ordered his food. So it isn’t just disappointing for the players and the staff, it is a massive letdown for the fans.
“Everyone has done all they can to get it on. We were all out with snowshovels on Friday to clear an area for the boys to train.
“We have put a tonne and a half of salt on the park but it had no impact. We have the gym at the club so we have had a few sessions in there.
“The boys were in there when the game was called off as we have Celtic on Wednesday. So we don’t have long to wait.”
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