York City were annoyed by their game at Grays Athletic being called off just ninety minutes before kick-off.

Referee Amy Rayner postponed the contest after arriving in mid-morning to find the pitch still covered in snow.

York director Sophie Hicks said: "I think Grays have been overly optimistic about the match going ahead."

"Grays were desperate to have the game on," she continued.

"It's a difficult time for cash flow for everybody. Also, I believe they were launching a new kit today.

"All the communication to our team who stayed overnight, to us, and to the referee, was that they had cleared the pitch and it was playable.

"To find out when they arrived at the ground was really devastating. Martin was very, very cross about the situation.

"The communication has been disappointing."

It had been announced only fifteen minutes earlier that the pitch had been passed fit to play.

But the referee's chief concerns were related to safety, particularly potentially dangerously icy conditions later in the afternoon.

Grays manager Julian Dicks told BBC Radio York: "We both wanted to play on it, me and Martin Foyle.

"It's very soft underneath. We've had people here since 8 o'clock this morning working on it and, for me, it's playable.

"The referee said it was playable but they think it might freeze over again.

"The snow is compacting and it could come up and hit somebody in the face which, to be honest, is laughable. I can't see the problem."