IT did not feel like it at the time, to their fans especially, but some good may yet come from 1874 Northwich pulling out of the FA Vase before Christmas.

However the risk of being barred from next season’s edition remains, at least for now.

Their punishment, if there is one, will be decided in a few weeks’ time.

At the same meeting, the competition’s organisers have agreed to discuss tweaking the rules to dissuade other clubs considering if they should take similarly drastic action to Ian Street’s side.

“We’ve no regrets; we did what we felt we had to,” said Brian Edge, 1874 Northwich’s vice-chairman.

1874 had been due to play at Morpeth, a Northern League team based almost 200 miles away, in a second-round tie on November 21.

But the game was postponed when the pitch was left unplayable be overnight rain.

The North West Counties League side asked for the rearranged encounter to take place seven days later, a request rejected by their opponents’ committee.

When the FA insisted they travel back to the north east on Tuesday, 72 hours after the downpour, 1874 responded by forfeiting the fixture.

They said neither their players, nor Street and his assistant Paul Bowyer, could do so at such short notice.

It should be noted that Morpeth had agreed to visit Winsford for a replay, if the initial meeting ended level, in midweek.

Earlier this week, the North West Counties League announced it has lobbied the FA to look again at the rules.

“We’ve done so in the aftermath of several midweek trips our clubs have been forced to make this season,” reads their statement.

“Our proposed change is: ‘where the distance between home and away grounds is more than 100 miles, any rearranged or replayed match shall be played the following Saturday.’”

The governing body has agreed to discuss their idea next month, it adds.

“We’re really pleased,” was Edge’s reaction.

“The league feels for us, and we’ve spoken to officials about what happened.

“I’ve heard and read a lot said about it too – it’s fascinating to know how we’re perceived in the north east, for example.

“We’d like for the FA to look at the regulations, to talk to as many people – leagues, clubs, whoever.

“I’m sure they can come up with something that improves the situation.”

Even if the rules don’t change, then 1874 have vowed to handle the same circumstances differently in the future.

That is not the same as admitting to a mistake the first time around, insists Edge.

He added: “Hindsight is a wonderful thing, isn’t it?

“For starters, we’ll ask straightaway what our opponents want to do if the game is postponed.”

As it stands, competition rules insist teams agree a replay date shortly after the draw is made.

They then fill in a form to confirm, next to a box in which they say what colour socks the players will wear.

That same piece of paper makes no reference to rearranged games after a postponement.

However the rules do; they must happen ‘on or before the Thursday following the original date.’ Edge said: “There’s a tidying up exercise at the very least.

“We’re in favour of flexibility; if both teams are ok with a midweek replay I see no reason to oppose that.

“What needs addressing is the next move when there isn’t that agreement.”

Street said winning the FA Vase, or at least improving on a run to third round in their debut campaign, was a priority for 1874 this term.

He has to wait a little longer to find out when his next chance will be.