Deeping concede FA Vase tie, UCL clubs decline to start playing again, all Junior Alliance League games off this weekend as the coronavirus continues to cause problems

And they are already concerned they might not finish the United Counties Premier Division season.

Deeping were due at Stoke-based Hanley Town for a first round Vase tie on Saturday. The game could have gone ahead without fans even though Deeping and the Potteries are tier 3 rated areas.

Deeping reached the fifth round of the Vase for the first time in the club’s history two seasons ago.

Deeping haven’t played for six weeks now - initially because they had a coronavirus infecttion within their squad - and have played just nine of their 38 UCL matches with no likelihood of playing again until December 16 at the earliest.

Co-manager Daniel French told the Stamford Mercury: “Having seen first-hand what it can do to a club with a Covi-19 case, we felt it wasn’t fair on the players to go ahead with the Vase game.

“We have a lot of school teachers in our squad who are already in a support bubble with their students.

“It wouldn’t be fair to the lads if we ask them to then get into a support bubble with each other again, and travel all the way to Stoke.

“Whilst we’re in a tier three area, we won’t be operating.

“It’s now been six weeks since we last trained or played a match and it’s getting down to the point where we seriously have to think about what we’re going to do going forward.

“We probably won’t get the green light until December 16 at the earliest and that will be eight weeks since we last trained, so we then can’t get chucked straight into a game.

“It’s going to be a real struggle to get the League games in.”

The Deeping Rangers committee have suspended football for all their club sides with immediate effect, from the senior first XI through to all their junior sides.

This includes training and friendlies.

This decision will be reviewed after the scheduled UK Government tier reviews on December 16.

Fellow Lincolnshire-based United Counties League sides Holbeach United, Bourne and Blackstones have followed Deeping in suspending senior football at least until December 16.

Bourne suffered a Covid outbreak earlier in the season.

Easttern Counties Division One club March Town have also postponed all matches until December 16 at the earliest.

All Peterborough & District Junior Alliance League games have been postponed this weekend. The League will review the situation next Monday.

Local leagues have a tough job re-organising fixtures as they have clubs in tier two and tier three venues.