Moulton Chapel Football Club needs to borrow equipment to get ready for new season

A village football club is appealing for the loan of irrigation equipment to help get its pitches match fit for the forthcoming season.

Members of Moulton Chapel Football Club, based in Cekhira Avenue, are seeking to borrow irrigation equipment or a sprinkler system for a few weeks to water their 11 v 11, 9 v 9 and 7 v 7 pitches, once they have been overseeded.

Chairman Luke Salter said attempts were made to restore the pitches last season, but due to the hot weather the new grass didn’t go. This year the team are overseeding the pitch again and want to set up a system to keep it watered for the first couple of weeks.

‘The ground is so hard, and the pitches are all very patchy, especially in the goal mouths where they’re practically bare, there aren’t even any weeds growing through,’ Luke said.

‘The plan is to overseed it and then keep it watered for the first couple of weeks, but unfortunately the club can’t afford to buy any equipment like this, as it’s just too expensive.

‘So, we were hoping someone in the community might be able to help us out by loaning us something like an irrigation or sprinkler system which could be attached to a hose pipe.

‘Once it’s germinated, the seed we have should start growing within five to seven days, so we only really need the equipment for a couple of weeks once nature’s taken its course.’

Luke said the club has cordoned off a smaller area for teams to train on until the other pitches are ready to play on and will then overseed it.

Moulton Chapel Football Club has nine junior and youth sides ranging from its three-to six-year-old Young Panthers up to under-18s who regularly use the facility.

They play across the Peterborough Junior Alliance League, while it’s girls’ teams play in Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire leagues.

* Anyone who can help with the loan of irrigation equipment can contact Luke on 07730062884.