No football for Annan or Queens as snow wins the day

Jan 30 2013 by Andrew McNair, Dumfries & Galloway Standard

Annan Athletic were due to play Saturday’s called off tie with Peterhead last night.

The match was postponed at the weekend due to the amount of snow on the Galabank pitch.

A team of volunteers did eventually clear the build-up which allowed the first team to train in the afternoon but it came too late for Peterhead who had already been informed of the call-off.

Both clubs came to an early agreement allowing the tie to be played last night, weather permitting.

Queen of the South did not fair much better – the only difference being that theirmatch at Brechin City had been called off on Friday due to a foot of snow on the hosts Glebe Park pitch.

No date has yet been decided for that rescheduled tie to take place but it is unlikely to be for at least a month – maybe even early March – according to the Palmerston club.

The South of Scotland Challenge Cup tie between Annan and Queens was also postponed on Friday night due to the weather.

All Saturday’s games in the South league fell foul of the conditions too.

Meanwhile, Annan manager Jim Chapman has put his Dumbarton ties to good use and signed 22-year-old defender Martin McNiff from the division one outfit.

McNiff, who can also play in midfield, has joined the Galabankies on loan until the end of the season.

He was a first team regular last season as Dumbarton were promoted from division two via the play-offs.

It was also the new Annan gaffer who gave the versatile youngster his debut in senior football.

Chapman told the club website that after an early appraisal of the squad - his coaching team had decided the squad needs more depth and announced that McNiff is unlikely to be the only new face before the end of the transfer window.