An ill-fated 70-mile round trip to Dorset befell Cheddar as Ella Broad had no alternative but to abandon the Toolstation Western League Division One encounter at Gillingham Town on Tuesday night.

The game was 1-1 on 75 minutes but with the January evening fog descended to such an extent that to continue the match in the conditions would be farcical and was called off.

“As far as we are aware the match will be replayed," said manager Craig Mawford.

"Sure, enough it is a long way to travel to Dorset again midweek for another rearranged fixture, but I thought that had the game lasted, there was only one team who would have won and that was us. We should have had a penalty midway through the half if I am honest.

"I would rather come back here [Gillingham] and do all we can to pick up all three points that we are well capable of doing on this showing."

Weston Mercury: Cheddar and Gillingham Town line-up on Tuesday nightCheddar and Gillingham Town line-up on Tuesday night (Image: Bruce Harvey)

On 11 minutes the hosts took the lead following a corner. Matt Howell was the first to react, connecting well on the edge of the penalty area, his drive taking a wicked deflection and ending up in the back of Dan Jackson’s net.

With 20 minutes gone, a penetrating Kris Bell run deep into the opposition half, saw the lighting stride of the winger thread a superb central ball to striker Nathaniel Groom who cleverly cut inside his marker before shooting inches wide of Ryan Peacock’s left-hand post.

On 35 minutes the visitors deservedly equalised. A precision Ricky Bennett corner deceived everyone, and the ball was turned home by home centre back Tom Jarvis although under pressure by curly haired striker Robbi Maggs who was on hand to force the ball over the line had the Gills defender did not have the initial touch.

The visitors had to be at their best defensively as the minutes ticked away approaching the half-time break, with centre back pairing Ollie Hucker and Callum Laird throwing their bodies in front of the ball to protect their goal when under siege.

James Boyland did manage to get an effort on goal on the stroke of half-time, but his effort went high over the crossbar.

The Cheesemen upped the gears and their performance levels further and on the hour the visitors felt that they were denied a penalty kick.

Kris Bell darted into the 18-yard box, but his feet were taken away from him by a Gillingham defender as he went to strike the ball.

Then came the impregnable fog and the match abandonment, and another long midweek journey for the Cheesemen, who return to home soil this Saturday as they entertain Bristol Telephones.