WELLINGTON Association Football Club's finances are in a 'very healthy state' despite the loss of income from three successive postponements of first team home games in the last few weeks.

Wellington were due to play at home to Street last weekend but the game was called off early on Saturday morning following a pitch inspection.

It had rained heavily the previous day and chairman Mike Hall said: "We were concerned with players' safety. It wouldn't take a stud - it would have been too slippery. Players' safety is of the upmost - you cannot take such a risk.

"The pitch was very wet and there was a possibility of further rain later in the day. The middle of the park was the most affected.

"We had to make a decision there and then. It was no good leaving it until later. Calling it off at mid-day would not have been a good thing. Whatever the decision it is not always the right one."

He added: "Although home matches provide us with much needed income, we are doing very nicely financially, despite expenditure on new floodlights and a new stand. Our finances are in a very healthy state."

The lack of games has meant Wellington have tumbled down the table from a lofty sixth position earlier in the season. They are now lying in 16th spot. However, they have matches in hand on a number of teams around them and could move up to a mid-table position if they can achieve some good results in the weeks ahead.

As it happened there was no rain last Saturday before the scheduled kick-off - although the club were not to know this at the time.

Meanwhile, Wellington will be hoping the pitch will be in a much better state for their home game on Saturday, March 1, against highflyers Clevedon Town (3p.m.) who are looking good bets for a return to the Southern League if they can finish in the top two in the Jewson League at the end of the season.

Wellington also have another tough home game when they meet title-chasing Portishead Town at the Playing Field the following Wednesday, March 5. After this match, however, they play away to Brislington on the following Saturday and are away again in mid-week - against Oldland Abbotonians.

Having not played for five weeks, it will be interesting to see what team turns up to play Clevedon and whether Wellington can recapture the form of earlier this season when they won eight successive games, two of these being in cup competitions. One of manager Richard Cherry's problems has been the inability of field a settled side for one reason or another. And, of course, not playing does not improve this.

Wellington Reserves, who have also suffered from postponements, having not played for three weeks, are due to play away to Combe St Nicholas on Saturday, March 1, in the Somerset Senior Cup, with a 2p.m. kick off.

Combe play in the second division of the Uhlsport Somerset County League and are lying near the top of the table and are the top scorers in the division.

The Reserves made a poor start to the season but have moved into a mid-table position under player-manager Mark Owen who guided them to promotion from the first division last season.