stage soccer matches again by next Friday night following a series of late postponements because construction work had not been completed.

They say the delay was caused because the club and the Government could not agree on what type of gate that should be installed. The construction firm was then unable to finish building work, which involved connecting a fence to the new perimeter wall and putting in the gate. "There was a difference between what we at Devonshire Rec wanted and what the Government could provide,'' the club's secretary Lloyd Smith told The Royal Gazette. "This meant that the gate was not finally designed until this week.'' The club had been due to put on its first match of the season following the work to widen Frog Lane on Thursday night.

However, the Martonmere Cup semi-final between Dandy Town and Vasco, was postponed along with a Commercial League Cup match and last night's First Division meeting between Devonshire Cougars and North Village because of safety fears.

The BFA, assured on Monday that the ground would be ready, were called several hours before the first match was due to kick-off on Thursday and advised that the games should not go ahead.

A delegation from the Association visited the site and said it was left with no option but to order the postponements because debris from the new perimeter wall could be a danger to spectators.

Smith added: "We are now hoping that the site will be cleared of all construction material by Friday evening.'' BFA general secretary David Sabir said he had not received official notification from Devonshire Rec but said he was glad to hear they were working hard to get the facility ready. "We were hoping to get up and running as early as next weekend,'' he added.

Meanwhile the Martonmere semi-final and the Commercial League Cup B matches have been rescheduled for next Thursday at Somerset. The Dandy Town-Vasco meeting in the Friendship Cup planned for that night has been postponed indefinitely.