HELSTON Athletic endured a frustrating and costly afternoon on Saturday when they travelled to Cullompton only to discover that their game was postponed.

The 240-mile round trip in a minibus will have to be undertaken again - and incredibly it has been scheduled for Easter Saturday - just 24 hours after they visit Falmouth Town for the Good Friday derby.

Helston chairman Paul Hendy said: "It was very disappointing. Cullompton followed the rule book and did nothing wrong. They asked a local referee to have a look in the morning and he passed it as playable.

"Apparently there was a heavy shower for around ten minutes just before midday, after which the groundsmen forked the pitch for two and half hours to get it ready.

"Cullompton players, their officials and our boys all wanted to play, but the referee (Ioan Ignat) obviously had his own reasons for calling it off," said Paul.

If the wasted journey was infuriating enough, they will now have to return to mid-Devon over a busy holiday period, the day after playing Falmouth in what is always a full-blooded derby.

"We are trying to find an alternative date but we have very few options. The league must be finished by Saturday, April 29 and Cullompton still have ten games to play, while we requested not to play on the final Saturday because it is Jamie Thomson's stag do," he added.

Starting at Saltash tonight, Cullompton have an eye-watering six matches in 13 days. The Helston game is the fifth in that sequence.

"It's not ideal for either club, but it won't affect where we finish in the league too much so we'll just have to get on with it," said Paul.

l Preparations are ongoing for the staging of the club's first ever Cornwall Senior Cup final on Easter Monday.

Kick-off for the match between Saltash Utd and Bodmin Town will be at 2pm.