A COMMUNITY football club has been left without a pitch to play on because of the new Knockroon superschool.

Ochiltree Community FC can’t use their home ground at Kay Park after a burst drain had flooded the pitch and, with the Broomfield Playing Fields about to become a construction site, they have had to postpone their home game against Heathside AFC after the alternate venue at Merlin Park in Auchinleck was also waterlogged.

According to the club, several teams have listed Kay Park as their alternate venue and have been left frustrated that East Ayrshire Council – who own and maintain Kay Park – had not fixed the drain which was pointed out to them a month ago.

A club spokesperson said: “With the removal of Broomfield Playing Fields from the list of available pitches for local teams, there is going to be an increasing pressure on other local pitches to accommodate the high level of games in a season.

“It is imperative that these pitches, like our Kay Park, are in a condition to make them playable. The costs involved for floodlight pitch hire are a hugely expensive cost to voluntary amateur and youth teams and no one wants to play catch up at the end of a season.

“It’s so important that Saturday and Sundays are game days.

“Netherthird Playing fields has undergone extensive drainage works to ensure that rugby games can be played there during Broomfield’s redevelopment. All we ask is that the pitches listed as alternative grounds for football teams, be treated the same.

A spokesperson for East Ayrshire Council said: “East Ayrshire Council is currently investigating concerns raised about the drainage at Kay Park in Ochiltree.

“Until matters are resolved, East Ayrshire Leisure will endeavour to provide an alternative football pitch for training and any matches.”