Stafford manager Steve Bull was left to rue the weather as their long trip to Gateshead fell foul of the rain and was postponed.

The Rangers boss was at Marston Road on Saturday morning making the call to their Blue Square North opponents, after a week of heavy rain throughout the country.

One look at the Marston Road pitch did not give much cause for optimism and the call to Gateshead confirmed what was expected – he was told not to bother making the 202-mile trip.

Bull said: “We were all ready to go but, after I had seen how wet our pitch was, I thought to myself: I will be amazed if this game goes ahead. If it was bad here, how bad would it be up north in Gateshead?

“It was no real surprise when we called them and they postponed the game. I don’t know who was more disappointed – me or the players. They were still fired up from the Kings Lynn game and wanted to go down there to get three more points on the board.”

With the match now set to be rescheduled for a Tuesday or Wednesday night, Rangers now face the even worst prospect of a long midweek trip – which always proves problematic for semi-professional players who have work commitments.

Bully just wants to get the trip out of the way.

He said: “It is a worst case scenario but we may as well just get on with it. It could happen to any club at this level so we are not being unfairly treated. It could have been worse. We could have been on our way there when we found out it was off!

“We had the players in on the Sunday morning for a fitness session so they are staying fit. We have a game at Alfreton in the Setanta Shield tomorrow night to prepare for and that is now my concern.”