1874 NORTHWICH will have more time to fit in their remaining fixtures if the FA accept a request from league officials to extend the season.

The team had 16 matches scheduled for April before the postponement of yesterday’s derby with landlords Winsford United when heavy rain left the pitch at St Luke’s Barton Stadium waterlogged.

That game will now take place on Thursday night, when the teams had been due to meet in a Mid-Cheshire District FA Senior Cup semi-final.

It is not known when that tie will take place.

A washout of the entire North West Counties League programme on Monday afternoon was followed by an announcement later.

“After unprecedented weather, which has seen us lose close to 350 matches, our emergency committee has written to the FA,” said league chairman Paul Lawler.

“We now await their response, and will be discussing the implications of any extension on promotion, relegation and cup competitions.”

He confirmed that the league’s management committee would meet on Wednesday to consider their next move.

Last month an official told the Guardian that the campaign would not be extended because the FA decide a date by which all competitions must be concluded.

That led to matches being scheduled on successive days on five occasions for 1874, including last week when they hosted Abbey Hey and then Irlam, in order to ensure they met the deadline.

“It is rare for an application to go beyond that to be successful because if you let one league do it, then everybody else will ask for the same,” said the spokesman.

“With a major re-organisation of the non-league pyramid scheduled for this summer, there is even less chance of a later finish.”

However the relentless wet weather, accompanied by snowfall during March, has prompted a rethink.

The Northern League’s committee have also asked the FA for more time, in their case a week.

In a statement, secretary Kevin Hewitt said he felt it was unfair for semi-professional or amateur players to take part in several games in quick succession.

He added: “A fixture backlog means extra work for officials, volunteers and ground-staff – who are already doing a fantastic job – to make sure games go ahead.”

1874 still have more games – 18 – to play than any rival in the North West Counties League’s top-flight.

Three others, Ashton Athletic, Barnoldswick Town and Irlam, must play 14.

Lawler concluded: “With poor weather forecast for the rest of the week, we decided to act.”