COWDENBEATH director Tom Ewing has vented his disappointment after his side's Scottish Cup fourth round clash against Rangers was postponed. A local referee called off the match three hours before tonight's scheduled 7.45pm kick-off due to a frozen pitch at Central Park. 3 Rangers' Scottish Cup fourth round clash against Cowdenbeath has been postponed Credit: PA:Press Association The fixture will now be played on Wednesday, January 30, but the League Two outfit believe the encounter could have easily went ahead. Speaking to BBC Scotland, Ewing said: "The referee's made his decision and we've got to abide by that, but we are hugely disappointed. "We didn't call the referee in. We felt the pitch was fine." While also adding: "We were confident that the pitch was good. Some of the Rangers staff arrived and the next thing there were discussions with the SFA and they wanted to send the referee along. 3 A local referee called off the match three hours before kick-off due to a frozen pitch Credit: PA:Press Association 3 Cowdenbeath manager Gary Bollan inspects the pitch before the match is called off Credit: PA:Press Association "It's their game and we've got to abide by that. It was a local referee that was called out and in our view it was only a precaution. "We played in the Betfred Cup a couple of games here after a long, dry summer and I would absolutely say the pitch was harder then that it is now." The news will come as a huge blow for Rangers fans, who had been looking forward to seeing Jermain Defoe and Steven Davies in action. A sell-out crowd was expected at the 4,300 capacity ground, with the match to be shown on live TV.<doc-sep>Join thousands of fans who have signed up to our Rangers newsletter. Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Furious Cowdenbeath boss Gary Bollan has slammed the decision to postpone their money-spinning Scottish Cup clash with Rangers. The Blue Brazil manager insists the move was made too early with temperatures lifting in Fife. And he claims the decision would not have been taken if his side were facing Berwick Rangers and not the Ibrox giants. A local referee pulled the plug on the fourth round clash - due to be broadcast live on TV with a 7.45pm kick off - shortly before 5pm. Bollan had only just turned up at the park to prepare for the huge occasion when he was met with the news. (Image: Garry McHarg) He told BBC Scotland: "I phoned the club this morning and there was a small area of the pitch that was a little bit firm. "They were working on it and they anticipated no problems. "So to arrive here at 4.30pm and the inspection to be taking place and be postponed minutes later was massively disappointing. "The referee explained that two very small parts of the pitch were firm and he made the decision it was unplayable. "There was no way he was going to give it an hour or an hour and a half. His decision was taken there and then and the game was called off. "With the snow coming down the temperatures have risen a degree or two. Snow has fallen on the parts that were firm. They will be slightly softer at the moment and I think it would have been playable. "I think if it was Berwick Rangers then the game would have gone ahead tonight." (Image: Garry McHarg) Cowdenbeath officials had worked overtime this week to try and beat the freeze. Covers were placed across the pitch and were only lifted at 11am. The match will now go ahead on Wednesday, January 30, with a 7.45pm kick off. Cowden director Tom Ewing added: "We were confident that the pitch was good. "Some of the Rangers staff arrived and the next thing there were discussions with the SFA and they wanted to send the referee along. "It's their game and we've got to abide by that. It was a local referee that was called out and in our view it was only a precaution. "We played in the Betfred Cup a couple of games here after a long, dry summer and I would absolutely say the pitch was harder then that it is now."<doc-sep>Airdrieonians will be inspired by their courageous cup side of the 1990s as they face holders Celtic in the Scottish Cup, says manager Ian Murray. Murray's side defeated Dumbarton 3-0 to set up Saturday's fourth round tie at Celtic Park. The Lanarkshire side were beaten 1-0 by Celtic in the 1995 final, and also reached the quarter-finals the year before and after. "Of course 1995 will be in the minds," said the Airdrieonians manager. "It's the tradition and history of the club. "I remember the game well as Pierre van Hooijdonk scored a header. Airdrie beat Hearts in the semi-final and, at that time, they had something over them. "Nobody wanted Airdrie in the cup because they knew it was a tough game and they had some very good players. John Martin in goals was a character, Jimmy Sandison, Alan Lawrence, Andy Smith, Kenny Black. "We look back on that and acknowledge how well they did, but you are talking a long time ago. If we can go and put in a performance half as well as they did, we will have done well." Now in League One, the Diamonds must overcome the most difficult of opponents if they are to pull off one of the biggest shocks in the Scottish Cup. The players at the Lanarkshire side are only part-time but sit just three points outside a promotion play-off place under Murray, who took over as manager from Stephen Findlay in October. "The cup is always appealing to the fans, players and the staff," said the former St Mirren manager. "Our pre-match build-up will be no different. We will name the team at the same time. Just because we are playing Celtic won't mean we will change our routine. "It will be an incredibly hard ask for us to win the match, but we can certainly go there and give a good account of ourselves."<doc-sep>
Last updated on .From the section Scottish Cup The Central Park pitch hours before kick-off Cowdenbeath director Tom Ewing believes their Central Park pitch was playable, despite their Scottish Cup tie against Rangers being postponed. Friday's fourth-round match was called off because of a frozen pitch after an inspection by a local referee three hours before it was due to start. "The referee's made his decision and we've got to abide by that, but we are hugely disappointed," Ewing said. "We didn't call the referee in. We felt the pitch was fine." Cowdenbeath manager Gary Bollan added: "The decision was taken there and then. Come kick-off time, I think it would have been playable. "If it was Berwick Rangers, the game would have gone ahead in my opinion." The 4,300-capacity ground was sold out for a match due to be shown live on TV, with Steven Gerrard's Rangers playing the first game after the Premiership's winter break. Cowdenbeath felt they had done enough to make sure there was no postponement - but the game will now be played on Wednesday, 30 January. Volunteers helped the League Two club lay protective covers over the playing surface on Wednesday, and they were removed on the day of the match. The Scottish FA said it was their decision to call the pitch inspection. "We were confident that the pitch was good," Ewing told BBC Scotland. "Some of the Rangers staff arrived and the next thing there were discussions with the SFA and they wanted to send the referee along. "It's their game and we've got to abide by that. It was a local referee that was called out and in our view it was only a precaution. "We played in the Betfred Cup a couple of games here after a long, dry summer and I would absolutely say the pitch was harder then that it is now."