Ferguson's Glentoran debut postponed by waterlogged pitch

Duncan Ferguson will have to wait for his first game in charge of Glentoran. The Irish League match against Ballymena United, due to be played at The Oval at 3pm on Saturday, was called off because the pitch was waterlogged, meaning the grass was too soaked with rainwater to play on. The decision followed a pitch inspection at noon.

Ferguson, the former Everton striker, had been looking forward to the match. Before his league debut as Glentoran manager, he said: "We want to be winners." Newsletter Marcus Kane said Ferguson had already made his presence felt at the club ahead of the fixture, Glentoran reported.

The weather is the main reason for the disruption. The Met Office, the UK's national weather service, has a yellow warning in place across Northern Ireland from 10:00 BST on Saturday until 12:00 GMT on Sunday. A stronger amber warning covers Saturday night, with winds of up to 75mph expected. A yellow warning means bad weather is possible and people should be prepared. Amber is a step higher and means it could cause more serious disruption.

The storm also hit women's football. The Women's Challenge Cup final between Glentoran and Cliftonville, scheduled for Saturday, was postponed on Friday because of the weather warning.

Ferguson's first match in charge now comes away to Coleraine on 30 October, with kick-off at 19:45 GMT. BBC Sport That game will be shown live on BBC iPlayer, so fans who cannot make the trip can still watch.

For a new manager, the first game is a chance to set the tone. Players learn how a coach wants them to play, and supporters get their first proper look at the team. That moment has simply moved a week on, to a different ground and a different crowd.