Black Country clubs keep pitches playable despite heatwave | OneFootball

Black Country clubs Bilston Town and Gornal Athletic say their pitches are ready for the new season despite a heatwave that has scorched grass across the region.

According to ExpressAndStar.com, sides at Steps seven to 10 have been hit hard, with some unable to host friendlies or train, but the pair say they can play on Saturday.

Bilston Town’s Queen Street surface has held up, with vice chairman Jay Morgan crediting planning and location for easier night-time watering before their North West Counties First Division South meeting with Shawbury United. He said moisture ideally needs to be 20 per cent and the pitch sits around 12 to 15 per cent.

Morgan noted three home friendlies were staged last week and, while the turf is dry, there is still greenery. He praised the groundsman’s work and said four league games are scheduled at home in August, adding they are praying for rain.

Over in Dudley, Gornal Athletic’s Garden Walk pitch is also set, with chairman Tom Williams saying they had planned for the chance of a heatwave ahead of Boldmere Rangers at home on August four in Midlands League Division One.

Williams explained the club took a standpipe hire licence with South Staffs Water, allowing sprinklers for about eight hours a day, and paid for wetting agents and seaweed spraying. He added resources at this level are thin and the league might need to review season dates, though Gornal are fine to go.

Source: ExpressAndStar.com