PATIENCE is taking its toll for Salisbury City as a third successive postponement has left them waiting to kick-start 2014, with a backlog of games in hand totting up.

With the postponements of Woking and Forest Green Rovers respectively, City were desperate for Tuesday night’s game with FC Halifax Town to go ahead after travelling to Yorkshire on Monday, costing about £2,500.

And with The Shay Stadium passing a morning pitch inspection that Mikey Harris attended, both teams were confident they would beat the weather.

But, about three hours prior to kick off, a waterlogged pitch scuppered Harris’s plans, which left them leaving Halifax a lot earlier than anticipated.

“It’s really frustrating for me, the team, staff and some of the die-hard fans who travelled to support us,” the manager lamented.

“The chairman (William Harrison-Allan) was good enough to let us go up the day before and prepare for the game properly that he’s funded out of his own pocket.

“And that’s been for nothing, so I feel for him.

“I attended a pitch inspection in the morning and it was playable then, but unfortunately the rain in the afternoon meant the game was called off.”

Victory could have seen City leapfrog their northern opposition and take their place in the play-offs, sitting in fifth place with two more points but having played an additional four more games.

An unwanted rest has broken up City’s rhythm as an effective finish to 2013 saw them beat Edgar Davids’s Barnet and Woking away, and drawing with Southport, all of which were good signs.

“We really wanted to continue the momentum we’ve gathered over the last few games and we haven’t had an opportunity to do that,” Harris added.

“We’ve got to do what we’ve got to do.

“I’m a firm believer in not wasting any emotions or energy on things that you can’t affect and we’ll quickly move on.”

A lengthy re-visit to the fellow promotion-chasers is likely to be rearranged for either February or March.

“The chairman’s backed the squad, which is a significant amount of money for a club like us, to come here.

“It’s a bitter pill for him to swallow.

“It’s disappointing.”

Striker Tyler Harvey has returned to home club Plymouth Argyle after his month’s loan with Salisbury expired.

  • Salisbury’s game with Woking at home has been rescheduled for Tuesday, February 11 (7.45pm). Forest Green Rovers away comes a month later on Tuesday, March 11 (7.45pm).