CHILDREN are losing out on junior football matches and a chance to stay fit because of poorly maintained pitches in Southend, say managers.

Wet winters have left many pitches waterlogged in the colder months due to the prevalence of clay soil in Southend, which has led to the Junior League season being extended from mid-April to late May in the last few years.

This has led it to clashing with the beginning of the cricket season at a number of venues, but Leigh Rockets manager Mark Woolaway said, at the club’s base in Blenheim Park, the council was no longer preparing pitches with goals and nets.

He said: “We’ve lost something like six or seven weeks compared to last season and this affects anyone who plays on council pitches at Blenheim Park, Eastwood, Priory and Belfairs.

“Last year the season also went on until the end of May because of the wet weather and there was no problem using the pitches but, this year, we won’t be able to use them from the end of this month because the council won’t be putting up the nets “All the teams pay their fees to use these pitches. How much does it cost just to get some nets put up and taken down?

“We’re trying to give children the opportunity to flourish in sport and stay fit but, because of this, they’re going to miss out on some crucial fixtures.”

However Leigh Ramblers U15 manager Steve Caton, whose club is based in Belfairs Park, said the problem came up every year and simply required better organisation from clubs.

He said: “This hasn’t been an issue for me because I’ve done this for a long time and I make the effort to get all my fixtures in well in advance so all the home games are played before the end of April and the away games after that.

“But there’s a lot that goes on in the league that you don’t know about, because nobody tells you these things, and you often find out the hard way.”

The council’s parks management officer Ian Brown said: “The council has also allocated money in the budget to install a new drainage scheme for the pitches.

“We can also confirm the council has not run out of money to pay groundsmen or maintain football pitches.

“Various pitches have been made available beyond the usual close date – following the 28-week football season – to catch up on any games cancelled by the council due to weather-affected ground conditions.

“The season ends in late March/early April depending on the site’s use for other activities, but the football season has never continued until the end of May.

“Some parks move from winter sports to summer sports, but groundsmen also need to programme and carry out pitch renovations.”