PLAYER-BOSS Lee Burch has thanked fellow Sydenhams Wessex clubs for their help and understanding during the most frustrating period of Hythe & Dibden’s recent history.

Upping sticks from their old Jones Lane headquarters was meant to herald an exciting, new era for the Waterside club.

But since they moved to nearby Clayfields Sport Centre, it’s been one headache after another.

First the roots of a tree got wrapped around a gas pipe, causing subsidence at one end of the clubhouse and setting the whole project back by two or three months.

More heartbreak followed when the grand opening fixture against Tadley Calleva was called off at short notice in early December when Sydenhams League inspectors found a couple of pitch-side areas to be potentially dangerous.

When Hythe finally christened their new ground against Pewsey Vale on December 20, the celebrations fell flat with a 2-0 defeat.

But that was just the start of their problems.

Heavy winter rain played havoc with the pitch and its perimeter and, although the majority of the water drained away, there was one particular nuisance area that stubbornly refused to dry out.

And with the club in danger of falling even further behind with their Sydenhams One fixtures, they were forced to turn to rival clubs for help.

Cowes Sports obliged by agreeing to reverse fixtures and play Hythe on the Island in late January. Then Team Solent, who had already played Burch’s men at Test Park, hosted them again in what counted as a home game for H&D.

And with the February 21 visit of Downton in jeopardy following yet more rain, Hythe once again turned to neighbours Blackfield & Langley for help having briefly shared Gang Warily at the start of the campaign.

H&D’s return to Blackfield ended in a somewhat disappointing 1-1 draw against the lowly Robins, but Burch – scorer of Hythe’s goal – said: “At least we played. I would rather be talking about a poor performance and a point against Downton than about having another game called off.

“We’re really thankful to Blackfield and all the clubs who have helped us.

“We’re lucky they’ve been so understanding. I’m sure they’ve been in similar positions themselves.

“We had to give up home advantage to play at Team Solent, but we just wanted to play – and so did they – and I wouldn’t have been bothered if we’d played it on a parks pitch.

“Clayfields is going to be a superb facility, but unfortunately we went in there at a bad time weatherwise,” Burch added.

“The worst affected area is the first bit you see. It’s on a slight angle and all the water drains into it.

“It’s not a waterlogging issue any more, the water’s going away now, it’s the softness underfoot.

“The club have been working tirelessly to rectify it. Dave Cox, the chairman, has put in time, money and effort and all the rest of us have dug deep too.

“Hopefully we’ll start to see it turn for the better.”

Hythe had been hopeful of returning to Clayfields last Tuesday to entertain Romsey Town.

But, having looked at the pitch once, the referee went back for a 4.30pm inspection and called it off.

They did manage to play on Saturday, winning 3-2 at Ringwood Town. But with more rain forecast this evening, Burch already has his doubts that tomorrow's (Tuesday's) visit of second-placed Amesbury Town to Clayfields will go ahead.

 "We'll plan as normal and hope it's on, but there's meant to be more rain tonight and the ground could well be too soft again," he said.