Wolves fume at postponement

Rain hits football

Wolves chief executive Jez Moxey has criticised the decision to postpone Saturday's rain-hit clash with Liverpool at Molineux.

Referee Barry Knight called off the game after pitch inspection at 1330 GMT determined that heavy rain had left the surface unplayable.

But Moxey believes he made the decision too soon: "I can see why the referee felt the game couldn't take place.

"But we feel that by 3pm the pitch would have been playable."

The match had been a big one for both teams and their managers - Dave Jones and Gerard Houllier.

Jones' Wolves are bottom of the table and desperate for points while Houllier has been under pressure after a mediocre start to the season.

Perhaps if officials had waited a little longer to carry out the inspection then it would have been a different story Wolves chief executive Jez Moxey

Referee Barry Knight said: "It was not a hard decision to make at all. The ball was not moving at all and there was the forecast of more rain to come.

"It's always tough to have to call a game off but on this occasion there was no other option."

But Moxey claimed groundstaff could have got the pitch ready for action had Knight delayed his inspection.

He said: "We understand that the referee has a difficult decision to make but from what I saw of the forecast there is due to be no more rain this afternoon, although we have been deluged since around 5am."

"Everyone wanted to play, it was a big game for both sides and perhaps if officials had waited a little longer to carry out the inspection then it would have been a different story.

However, Wolves manager Dave Jones was among those resigned to the fact that no play was possible at Molineux.

He said: "We tried as hard as we could to get it on but it just didn't happen.

"The pitch looks good but when you kick a ball on it it just won't roll.

"The boys are disappointed because they wanted to play but the referee had a difficult decision and he has not made it lightly."