Swansea assistant manager Graeme Jones insists that his side were ready to face Histon and did not want the FA Cup tie to be postponed.Referee Phil Crossley called off the match just three-and-a-half hours before kick-off due to a frozen pitch, sparking claims from Histon chairman Gareth Baldwin that the Welsh outfit had unfairly influenced the referee.

Jones told the South Wales Evening Post: "I was at the ground at 9am with (physio) Richie Evans and the only people we saw were the groundsman and their physio.

"I was back at the team hotel by 9.30am. When the referee arrived to do his pitch inspection at 11.30am, the only representatives of Swansea City who were at the ground were Richie and our kit manager Sue Eames, who would always be at an away ground at that time.

"I can assure you that the last thing we wanted was to see the game called off. We wanted the game played 100%, but the fact is that the pitch has to be playable.

"There is a health and safety issue here and the referee made the decision that the pitch wasn't safe."

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