O’s assistant coach Ross Embleton said player safety must come first, after Leyton Orient’s fixture against Maidenhead United was postponed this afternoon.

Referee Adam Penwell called the game off after a pitch inspection at 1:30pm after the corners of the pitch were deemed to be in a dangerous condition following heavy rain during the morning.

Supporters, ground-staff and even some of the Orient players, namely Macauley Bonne and James Brophy, all tried their best to ensure the game went ahead, but in the end, their efforts proved to be in vein.

Speaking in the tunnel just moments after the match had been called off, O’s assistant coach Ross Embleton felt the player’s safety must come first.

He said: “I think as frustrating as it is for everybody, if the players' safety is at threat, then the most rationale decision is to call the game off.

“The weather has been a freak this winter. Personally, I think we’ve played on it (the pitch) when it’s been a lot worse. I think there’s been circumstances this year where there’s been one or two games where the pitch has been in a worse state than it has been now. But the minute surface water is on there, that’s the minute where you start to cast some doubt.”

The O’s are due to play at Brisbane Road on Saturday against Barrow in the National League and Embleton is hopeful that the pitch will have recovered in time for the game to take place.

He said: “I think it’s meant to warm up during the week, but it’s just whether or not we get more rain. I think the fact that we’ve got the covers there and the level of work that’s gone in there, you don’t want to lose another two games and we’re running out of time to fill them in. I’ve got everything crossed that Saturday will be on.

“We played a couple of days ago and now we’ve got a chance to get that recovery in and we’ll probably be a bit fresher by the time the next game kicks off.”