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Floodlight failure postpones Stevenage v Cambridge followed by trouble outside stadium

Floodlight failure postpones Stevenage v Cambridge followed by reported crowd trouble outside the stadium on Friday night.

The League One fixture was due to get underway at 7:45pm, but had been delayed with Stevenage saying they were waiting on an engineer to fix the lights.

But 30 minutes after the match was set to start, Boro issued a statement saying the game had been called off “due to circumstances outside of our control”.

CLUB STATEMENT:

Stevenage Football Club have begun an extensive investigation into the power failure last night…

The Club are aware of UKPN’s statement this morning but feel that it was reasonable to rely last night upon the information of power failures in the area on UKPN’s website.

However, following extensive investigations and attempts by our own electricians to regain power last night, it became evident that the fuse within the sealed UKPN board had blown.

Since this board and fuse are the property of UKPN and only a DNO (UKPN in this case) is permitted to open and access this board, UKPN were called at 8:04pm.

The Club were initially quoted three hours, but in the event, a UKPN engineer arrived within 15-20 minutes and started the process of replacing the fuse. Full power was resumed around 9:30pm.

Discussions to arrange a suitable date for a re-arranged fixture have begun, and we will publish details as soon as we know them.

Meanwhile, tickets for the original game will be honoured for the re-arranged fixture, and anyone with a ticket that is not able to attend the re-arranged fixture will receive a full refund. Details on this will follow next week.

Stevenage FC offers its sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused to all fans, players, management and officials who travelled last night, but the situation and solution was outside the control of the Club.

Stevenage boss Steve Evans said, as per The Comet: “Basically there’s a problem with electricity coming into the area, it’s not just the stadium, it’s been a specific area within Hertfordshire that’s been badly affected and we are one of them.

“Even now we’re operating with lights on but it’s reduced power, it’s 40 per cent of the power that would be out there for a game.

“So obviously there’s been lots of consultation with the safety officer, with the match officials and in fairness to the EFL, the heads of the EFL.  

“They’ve been on the phone and on a safety aspect, it’s absolutely the right decision, but we are devastated not to be playing. 

“It’s a lack of power coming into the stadium and the main feed, and I’m not an electrician so I’m speaking rather dumb if you like, but you can see the shadows on the pitch and you would maybe warm up like that but as the referee says, when it when it comes to [the game, the main power is not there].

“The last words I had from one of the senior police officers was there was estimated to be 4,500 outside the ground trying to be contained by a reduced number of police officers compared to normal. 

“Normally people are feeding into the ground. 

“But we tried our best, we tried everything to get the game on. We’ve lost this one but it’s no one’s fault. It’s just through the electricity situation.”

Stevenage statement: Tonight’s fixture vs Cambridge United at The Lamex Stadium has been cancelled due to a local area power cut…

This has been confirmed by UK Power Networks who have made the following statement:

“We are receiving reports from other customers about a power cut in your area.

We are investigating reports of a power cut and more information will appear here shortly, so keep checking for updates. We are sorry for any disruption this may be causing you”.

Tickets purchased for this evening’s fixture will remain valid for the rearranged fixture. Refunds will also be made possible with details announced in due course.

Floodlight failure postpones the Stevenage v Cambridge with it followed by trouble outside the stadium, here’s what fans had to say…

@MrLiamArnold: More lights outside than in

@jbadderz: ridiculous – all due to stevenage breaking through a poorly organised police cordon to confront cambridge fans stuck outside the ground in the dark with no information

@marksaggers: I find it difficult to understand why up to 40 Police cars were dispatched to the Ground after a light failure. Helicopter was up early, panic from the announcer for players warming up to immediately leave the playing surface. Even with around 4000 still not in it doesn’t add up

@camtrublue: There were 2 glass bottles thrown at the CU fans queuing to get in the South stand by Stevenage fans – police turned up in numbers about 5-10 mins later.

@DaveStacey47344: About 30/40 dickhead Stevenage fans came swarming round to the away end. One of them threw half a punch and then they all ran away

@lindsay_halbert: Please use tonights incident to reconsider your policing for future games @StevenageFC Absolutely disgusting that your so called “fans” were allowed to walk round the entire ground to ambush the aways fans (including children) stuck outside.

@DavidFilce: I counted 36 police cars and a helicopter. @HertsPolice I think we need answers. You weren’t exactly short handed

@AlDinAtlantic: I wasnt aware there was this many police in stevenage

@Marcustricky: Yet if someone robs your house…sorry no offices are available.

@jackbeeton02: what happened outside of the ground?? #CamUTD

@Charlie98573376: Some stevo fans tried to pipe up but got shut down by us then we were just waiting outside for like an hour

@gps0411: Seems a bit excessive… 🤔🤔🤔

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