Southern League release statement ahead of Gosport Borough's trip to Dorchester offering latest 'fuel crisis' postponement advice

The Southern League has issued a statement stating all clubs must 'seek alternate transport' in order to fulfill fixtures this weekend amid the nationwide fuel shortage.

It comes after the league had offered teams the opportunity to request for midweek fixtures to be called off because of concerns over travel with the ongoing fuel crisis.

Boro saw their scheduled league meeting with Wimborne on Wednesday postponed after the Dorset club claimed they could not make the trip because of the current fuel shortage.

However, the Southern League have now communicated to clubs saying ‘postponements of this weekend's and next midweek's fixtures owing to the fuel crisis will not be considered’.

That means Boro are facing around a 150-mile round trip to Dorchester on Saturday just four days after Wimborne suggested they were unable to cover the near 100-mile distance to play at Privett Park on Wednesday evening.

A Southern League statement released ahead of this weekend's fixtures said: ‘The League’s board has decided that requests for the postponement of this weekend’s and next midweek’s fixtures owing to the ‘fuel crisis’ will not be considered.

The board therefore advises clubs to seek alternative transport if necessary to be able to fulfil its forthcoming fixtures. Should the “fuel crisis” worsen, then the board will review matters.’

Gosport boss Shaun Gale is hoping availability is not hit by the fuel crisis for the Dorchester trip.

Boro have players based in London, Brighton, Ipswich and Bristol, with all but one squad member making it to train last night.

But Gale will have to do without Pat Suraci for the trip to Dorchester, who is facing a long lay-off having dislocated his knee in training on Wednesday.

The Boro boss said: ‘It was a good training session (on Wednesday) apart from Pat Suraci dislocating his knee.

'We had an ambulance so he's going to be out, unfortunately, it was just a nothing challenge. I don't know if he got his studs caught then he ends up dislocating his knee.

‘Pat's a big player for us, he's done really well, hopefully it's a speedy recovery for him.’