ROBIN Townsend insists he supported the decision to postpone the Coron-ation Cup final five days before it was due to take place.

The Lyme Regis boss had been scheduled to lead his team into battle with Perry Street on Bank Holiday Monday tasked with retaining the silverware.

However, with the Slade’s Cross surface blanketed by snow and an unpromising forecast, officials took the unusual step of calling off the game at the earliest opportunity.

In a statement, the Perry Street League said the safety of spectators and players was of paramount importance and an influential factor in its judgement.

Despite admitting he could not recall a postponement being made so early, Townsend claimed he had absolutely no issue with the verdict.

Speaking to the Lyme Regis News, he said: “I’ve never known a decision to be made that far in advance before, but the league obviously had its reasons for doing so.

“A lot of factors went into it, not just the state of the pitch, and you don’t want people travelling to a game if it unsafe for them.

“In hindsight I think it was the right decision, even though the snow had started to melt. And from our point of view it wasn’t a bad thing considering the players we had out.

“Perry Street may feel a little hard done by because we were not at full-strength, but I still think we would have been the favourites to win it.

“Everybody wants to be playing football, so the lads who would have been involved were disappointed. It’s been a bit of a stop-start season but we’ve got to get on with it.

“To have the game called off was not ideal for us because we’ve only played six league games this season, but we have got to take it on the chin.

“We have got lots of home fixtures coming up after the New Year and in a way we have been the victims of our own success because we’ve had so many cup matches.”

Meanwhile, Townsend has revealed he expects talismanic defender Mark Batey to be ruled out for the remainder of the campaign through injury.

Batey suffered medial ligament damage to his left leg, which is still in a brace, during the Seasiders’ Dorset Intermediate Cup victory over Alderholt earlier this month.

Townsend, who conceded it was a blow to lose such a pivotal figure, added: “I can’t see Mark playing again this season.

“He will go through the pain barrier and I’m sure he’ll try to come back as soon a possible, but I want him to return only when he is good and ready.

“We are not as healthy in terms as numbers as I thought we were, so I may have to start looking around for some reinforcements for all areas of the squad.”