WORK starts today on a new drainage channel in the Rodney Parade pitch to target the problem area that has seen two Newport County games fall victim to bad weather.

Last Saturday’s League Two fixture between the Exiles and Stevenage was postponed just two hours before kick-off due to a waterlogged pitch after torrential rain.

The September 3 encounter with Barnet was abandoned at half-time with the Bees leading 1-0 due standing water in the same corner in front of the changing rooms and Hazell Terrace.

The ground is used by owners Newport RFC, Newport Gwent Dragons and County but no team has a home game until the visit of Brive in the European Rugby Challenge Cup a week on Friday.

That has given Rodney Parade Ltd the chance to do work with a pipe being installed from the 10-metre line of the rugby pitch to an existing manhole in front of the changing rooms, running around seven metres in from the touchline.

The turf will be taken off the pitch to allow a trench to be dug and pipe installed. Work is expected to take four days, giving a week for the pitch to settle for the Dragons’ Euro encounter.

“This is the earliest opportunity that we have to complete the work as it is our longest match-free window,” said Mark Jones, head of operations at Rodney Parade.

“We certainly feel that the work is going to help the problems we have with postponements whilst it is also something that we can add to in the future.

“Once the season is completed we will then look to put in a brand new drainage system.”

Jones added: “This work can only be completed thanks to the Celtic Manor and contractors TA Roden, as we will be using their labour as well as our own to complete the work on time.

“We will also have the luxury of using the Celtic Manor’s machinery, which is thanks to Jim McKenzie MBE (director of golf courses and estate management) and Neil Shepherd (head of irrigation and special projects).”

The three teams are still in the lap of the gods given that this season around 60 fixtures will be played on the pitch, which was ripped up and levelled last summer, but it is hoped the new pipe will aid the existing drainage system to give ground staff a fighting chance.

There is, however, an extremely busy period looming in November with the Dragons hosting Connacht, the Scarlets and Edinburgh, the Black and Ambers entertain Llandovery and Carmarthen Quins while the Exiles welcome AFC Wimbledon, Carlisle and Wycombe.