We have been advised today that after a meeting of the Board of the Northern Premier League the playing season is to be extended by one week.
The news was published on the Evo-Stik League website as follows:
“The 2012-2013 season has been challenging to all clubs as they have on many occasions been subjected to many postponements due to long spells of bad weather.

Recent Arctic conditions causing only one fixture to be played last Saturday compounded what was already an over congested fixture schedule.

As of today the weather does not show any signs of relenting with an expectation that this week’s midweek programme is likely to be decimated due to pitches not being able to recover from the weekend’s snowfall.

The League Board are mindful of the many factors both for and against extending the season by one week. It is however with a responsibility to the welfare of players, extensive midweek travelling and spectators getting to games that reluctantly the decision has been made to extend the season to include a full round of fixtures on Saturday 4th May.

This decision has not been taken lightly and must not been seen as a precedent for future seasons when perhaps a global disruption such as this season will not be an issue.

Clubs will be advised of a revised fixture schedule later this morning and the Leagues Official website www.evostikleague.co.uk will be updated shortly afterwards.

The Promotion Play-Off dates as a result of this announcement will also be revised which will be published later.”

We have subsequently been advised that the match at AFC Fylde, which was postponed last Saturday, will now be played on Saturday 4th May.