NIGEL Clough said that the “horrendous conditions” at Fleetwood made it almost impossible to play football and were so bad that Jake Hesketh had to come off as he was shivering with cold.
The Brewers went down 1-0 to a penalty on a day when the driving rain, howling wind and biting cold were the real winners.
The Albion manager said: “I can’t fault the effort the lads have put in all over the pitch and for the game to be decided on a penalty like that is unbelievably disappointing. We though Jake (Buxton) played the ball and unfortunately things like that decide games.
“We created our best chances against the wind in the second half because we had more control but it wouldn’t quite drop for us in the box.”
Ultimately Clough feels it would have been better not to have played the game in that weather.
“It wasn’t just wind today it was a gale. Quite a lot of the players were struggling and Jake Hesketh has had to come off due to the effects of the weather and cold as he was shaking almost uncontrollably. It wasn’t just the wind and the rain but the temperature as well. Stephen Quinn said that’s the worst he has played in during his 15 years in professional football.
“You don’t want games called off but if the pitch was frozen or waterlogged you wouldn’t play but there are certain other conditions like today where you shouldn’t play. It’s not a great game for spectators either. People have paid their money, our supporters have travelled up, and it’s very difficult to play football.
“People who weren’t here might not appreciate just how bad it was, horrendous conditions.”
The Brewers also suffered three damaging injuries.
Clough aid: “Liam Boyce suffered a thigh injury – about 40 minutes in he felt it. Scott Fraser hurt his groin and David Templeton hurt his shoulder in the last few minutes.
“With the injuries to go with the defeat it is not a particularly nice day.”