HEREFORD FC manager Pete Beadle says this Saturday was the only realistic day to play the rearranged FA Vase game against Leicester Nirvana due to the Edgar Street pitch still being waterlogged.

The Bulls were leading 3-1 in the fourth round tie when the match was called off at half-time.

FA rules state that any abandoned FA Vase game, from the fourth round onwards, has to be played either on the following Saturday or beforehand.

The Bulls have confirmed all supporters will have to pay a reduced price of £4 [£1 for under-16s] for the game, regardless of whether they went to the abandoned game, after speaking to Nirvana and the FA.

"All of the games have to be played and I know there are certain rounds that still have to be played and they're a bit behind with the games," said Beadle.

"The two clubs spoke about it and thought having it on Saturday would be the best chance of playing the game.

"I know I initially said may be it could have been played on Tuesday, but, speaking to Roger [Lloyd] and looking at it in the week, the pitch was still quite waterlogged and needs a few days to dry out."

Hereford's eagerly-anticipated away league match at Sporting Khalsa has subsequently been postponed.

"It was a fixture that we were particularly looking forward to because it would have been a big occasion and created a lot of interest," said Sporting Khalsa spokesman Mat Danks

"But we support other teams from our league who are in the FA Vase and we hope Hereford continue doing well in it."

Danks added he had a feeling the game would be postponed to make way for Hereford's rearranged game against Leicester Nirvana.

"When we were playing Westfields on Saturday, news got round at half-time that their match could get cancelled, so it did dawn on us that our match against them would have to be rearranged, but it's just one of those things," said Danks.

"It wasn't going to be a case of ramping things up for the match though, we haven't got a big marquee and won't have any financial issues.

"It is a seven-day-a-week outfit and and we're flexible in using extra staff, but of course, we would had to have brought more in because of the expected hordes of people that were going to come.

"We had 2,500 for the FC United game in the FA Cup, but a lot of the things used for that are still applicable now, for example extra toilets.

"When you're in our league and wake up on a Saturday morning, anything can happen, but of course, it would have been one of those special occasions.

"Our main disappointment is that we won't be playing a football match because there's not enough time to rearrange a match."

Reg Reynolds, who runs away travel for Hereford supporters, predicted around 1,200 Bulls fans would have made the journey to Willenhall.

"We were going to take four or five coaches and had already filled three-and-a-half," said Reynolds.

"There is a loss of revenue for Hereford as well because we were going to arrange a sponsorship deal, where money off the coaches goes back to the club, with sponsorship of players. There was also going to be a hospitality package for eight people, like at AFC Wulfrunians.

"It would have been the first really big league game because they are right up there and we are top.

"I really feel sorry for Khalsa because, if the game was on Saturday, I reckon they would have made about £20,000 to £30,000.

"But, we have to accept that we are so far down the ladder that we are going to be dictated to by other people."

The winner of this Saturday's Vase match will be away to either Hampshire side Hartley Wintney or Bradford Town, based in Wiltshire.

"I haven't really looked at the draw in much depth but I know one of the teams [Hartley Wintney] because they beat Merthyr in the FA Cup," added Beadle.

"If we get through, we'll be in the last 16, so they'll be no easy games."