Chester FC manager Steve Burr believes a decision could have been made sooner to postpone yesterday's FA Trophy game at FC Halifax Town.
Match referee Michael Salisbury inspected the Shay Stadium surface at about 1.10pm and with the ball not rolling a safe distance, the Preston-based official ruled the pitch unfit.
Persistent rain overnight and through Saturday morning left standing water on some areas of the pitch and Mr Salisbury had little choice but to call the contest off.
Read: FA Trophy tie with FC Halifax Town postponed due to waterlogged pitch
However, the timing of the postponement and the fact no inspection had been planned or announced caused widespread frustration for both sets of players and supporters, including many from Chester who were already in Halifax.
The game has now been scheduled for Tuesday (7.45pm) but with rugby league side Halifax RLFC playing Whitehaven on the pitch on Sunday afternoon, whether the tie takes place on the new date remains to be seen.
Burr said: "I was here early and it looked like at the time it was probably playable but the rain's got worse and worse, and I just feel for all of the people who have set out and travelled.
"I'm sure maybe a decision could have been made a bit earlier but that's one of them things.
"It has got worse since I've got here. It was probably playable when I got here about 12.30pm but as you can see the referee's not happy with it, he's been out there and it's not rolling so I'm really disappointed.
"I was a little bit surprised the referee didn't get here earlier but I'd heard nothing all morning. I was coming here expecting conditions that would have been wet but playable and maybe he was looking at doing the same.
"There's rugby here on Sunday and they're saying that if that goes ahead then it could put the game on Tuesday in doubt but I'm sure the people and the groundstaff have worked really hard to get our game on.
"You feel for the lads here with the forks who were trying to make the pitch better but it's been torrential rain all morning really hasn't it."
Chester had a number of injury worries ahead of the match and would definitely have been without Sam Hughes through illness and Jason Gilchrist, who has returned to Burnley after damaging his ankle.
The Blues were also checking on the fitness Ross Hannah, Ryan Lloyd and Craig Hobson so Burr agreed the postponement would help those players but said he'd rather the game had gone ahead.
"It's a little bit of a blessing but after a defeat you want to play the next game as quickly as you can," he said.
"Young Sam Hughes wasn't quite right with illness, Jason Gilchrist is out for a few weeks and there's one or two other knocks but I was coming here hoping we'd play today."
The draw for the quarter-finals of the FA Trophy will take place on Monday.
