Cold weather has affected several clubs this month with various local matches postponed due to unplayable pitches

Ade Abayomi fears the recent bout of postponements in the Essex Senior League is just the start with cold weather forcing plenty of football games to be called off in recent weeks.

The Mile End Stadium club were set to host fourth-placed Basildon United last Saturday, but a frozen pitch made the surface unplayable.

Elsewhere, Clapton’s game at home to Takeley was postponed along with Woodford Town’s clash with Sporting Bengal United on Friday night.

Abayomi said: “We were looking forward to playing Basildon, but we have reached the time of year where lots of matches are off.

“You can’t do much about it because the weather is cold and so many pitches are getting frozen or waterlogged.

“I think this will be the beginning of it now and we’ll see a few more games off, but hopefully we can play on Saturday.”

Hamlets are set to host Woodford this weekend at the Mile End Stadium for what is their last match of 2017.

Although the surface wasn’t fit for football last time out, Abayomi is praying it will be better after no more snow of late.

He added: “I’m hoping we can play on Saturday. We were over there last weekend and it wasn’t great, but I expect it will be okay by the time we next play.

“Obviously it is the last game of the year, so we all want it to be on, but everything depends on the weather.”

If the match with Woodford does go ahead, all of the Hamlets squad will be fresh and ready for action following another recent break from competitive football.

After playing three times during seven days at the start of month, the east Londoners haven’t played since beating local rivals Sporting Bengal United 1-0 on December 9.

“Everyone is looking forward to playing again because all of the boys were really disappointed about last Saturday,” said joint-manager Abayomi.

“We all want to play and fingers crossed we can get this game at the weekend on and finish the year well.”