EFL 2018: Kilsyth and Surrey Park Eastern Football League game suspended due to lightning and hail

WILD weather forced the Kilsyth and Surrey Park Eastern Football League to be suspended for nearly 20 minutes as storms lashed Melbourne.

Hail at Pinks Reserve on Saturday. Picture: Supplied

WILD weather forced the Kilsyth and Surrey Park Eastern Football League game to be suspended for nearly 20 minutes as storms lashed Melbourne.

Lightning strikes and hail hit Pinks Reserve shortly before three-quarter time on Saturday, with players resuming in the final term.

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Kilsyth coach Paul Newlands said player safety was paramount.

“It’s the first one (weather delay) in seven years of senior footy I’ve been involved in that’s for sure,” Newlands said.

“It was one of those days, one minute it was all right, the next minute it just opened up, we got the hail, we got lightning, all the rest of it and the umpires, to their credit, did the right thing.”

Surrey Park president Andrew Toomey said hail and lightning hovered over the ground while play was called of.

“The game went a bit later, probably 10 minutes later than normal so it wasn’t too bad,” Toomey said.

“Players’ safety was first, and the umpires, and they got everyone off the ground and waited for it to pass.”

Kilsyth won the game 13.8 (86) to 9.7 (61).