Chelsea Women manager Emma Hayes said it is time for stadiums hosting top-level women's football to have undersoil heating after her side's game with Liverpool was suspended after just six minutes on Sunday.
Despite pitch inspections at Kingsmeadow earlier in the day that deemed the surface playable, the referee abandoned the Women's Super League clash when it became apparent the pitch was too frozen.
While it was broadly agreed to be the correct decision as players had been slipping on the surface, questions were asked as to why the game was allowed to go ahead in the first place and why stadiums that host WSL games are not all equipped with pitch heating facilities.
"You could see from the opening minutes that it was like an ice rink down the sides," Hayes told BBC Sport after the game was stopped. "[Liverpool manager] Matt Beard was upset that it even got to that point and he's right.
"We have to say to ourselves that it's time for undersoil heating. We've got to take our game seriously. Yes, we can have our blowers and pitch tents, but it's not enough.
"The game should never have started. Everyone wanted to get the game on, but when you have got emotions of teams wanting or not wanting to play, that's when you need a decision from above. The FA weren't here, they need to be making the decision.
"We've made progress with investment into the quality of grasses and surfaces across the league. No game at the top level of the women's game should be cancelled. We need undersoil heating, we don't live in Barbados."
Arsenal striker Vivianne Miedema took to Twitter to lament the decision to postpone that game as well as Tottenham's clash with Leicester City due to cold weather, posting: "Players safety should always come first. Luckily no one got injured today.
"Only way to fix this is to demand undersoil heating or playing our games in men's stadiums. FA and clubs, please do better."
The Dutch star was quote-tweeted by Liverpool's Katie Stengel, who wrote: "I heard Stamford Bridge was wide open today."
Chelsea's Fran Kirby also gave her thoughts on Twitter, adding: "Apologies to both sets of fans who travelled today. Players safety should always be the number one priority. Luckily no one was injured today and the right decision was taken eventually. Women's football deserves better and we won't stop fighting to make that happen"
Everton 0-5 Chelsea: Visitors maintain perfect WSL start under Bompastor
Chelsea maintained their perfect start to the Women's Super League season by thrashing Everton 5-0 at Goodison Park on Sunday.
They took the lead in the 14th minute when Kadeisha Buchanan's teasing delivery was headed beyond Courtney Brosnan by Agnes Beever-Jones.
The visitors then struck twice shortly before the break, first through Erin Cuthbert, who dispossessed Veatriki Sarri before sending a left-footed effort into the bottom corner.
Guro Reiten then got herself on the scoresheet, squeezing the ball in at Brosnan's front post after being picked out by Sjoeke Nusken's searching ball into the box.
Chelsea continued to dominate after the interval, but had to wait until the 82nd minute to notch their fourth through Wieke Kaptein's fine effort into the roof of the net.
Just over a minute later, Ashley Lawrence rounded off a fine team move to tap home Oriane Jean-Francois' cross to seal yet another win for Sonia Bompastor's Blues.
Data Debrief: Brilliant Blues march on
The triumph saw manager Bompastor become the third manager to win their first five games in the WSL, after David Parker and Jonas Eidevall.
And it was arguably the most dominant win her tenure. The Blues racked up 26 shots compared to Everton's six, ending the contest with an expected goals (xG) total of 3.16 compared to their opponents' measly 0.37.
Chelsea have now equalled their longest winning run in the WSL against a single team, with the victory over the Toffees their 10th in a row, going level with their current win streaks against Tottenham and West Ham.
Man City open three-point lead at WSL summit after Palace victory
Manchester City moved three points clear at the Women's Super League summit following a 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace.
Jess Park, Jill Roord and Khadija Shaw were all on target as Gareth Taylor's side extended their unbeaten start to the season, moving onto 16 points after their opening six games.
City quickly established authority in their 200th WSL match, and took the lead five minutes before half-time through Park's long-range strike.
The visitors doubled their advantage within five minutes of the restart, as Roord pounced on a loose ball and calmly slotted home.
Katie Stengel struck the post for the hosts before City put the contest to bed 17 minutes from time, with Shaw heading home Park's cross for her fourth goal of the season.
Taylor's side are three points clear of Brighton and Hove Albion, who leapfrogged Chelsea to second place after Nikita Parris scored the only goal as they edged out Leicester City.
West Ham remain rooted to the foot of the WSL table after Camila Saez's bizarre late own-goal condemned them to a 2-1 defeat against Tottenham.
Riko Ueki's opener was cancelled out by Beth England early in the second half, before Saez unwittingly lobbed her own goalkeeper from 18 yards to hand Spurs the points in stoppage time.
The winless Hammers remain on two points with an inferior goal difference keeping them below Aston Villa, who are also still seeking their first win of the campaign after losing 2-1 to Liverpool.
Taylor Hinds' first-half brace did the damage for the Reds at Villa Park, where Gabi Nunes' strike soon after the restart proved a mere consolation for the hosts.
Shaw scores again as Man City open three-point lead at WSL summit after Palace victory
Manchester City moved three points clear at the Women's Super League summit following a 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace.
Jess Park, Jill Roord and Khadija Shaw were all on target as Gareth Taylor's side extended their unbeaten start to the season, moving onto 16 points after their opening six games.
City quickly established authority in their 200th WSL match, and took the lead five minutes before half-time through Park's long-range strike.
The visitors doubled their advantage within five minutes of the restart, as Roord pounced on a loose ball and calmly slotted home.
Katie Stengel struck the post for the hosts before City put the contest to bed 17 minutes from time, with Shaw heading home Park's cross for her fourth goal of the season.
Taylor's side are three points clear of Brighton and Hove Albion, who leapfrogged Chelsea to second place after Nikita Parris scored the only goal as they edged out Leicester City.
West Ham remain rooted to the foot of the WSL table after Camila Saez's bizarre late own-goal condemned them to a 2-1 defeat against Tottenham.
Riko Ueki's opener was cancelled out by Beth England early in the second half, before Saez unwittingly lobbed her own goalkeeper from 18 yards to hand Spurs the points in stoppage time.
The winless Hammers remain on two points with an inferior goal difference keeping them below Aston Villa, who are also still seeking their first win of the campaign after losing 2-1 to Liverpool.
Taylor Hinds' first-half brace did the damage for the Reds at Villa Park, where Gabi Nunes' strike soon after the restart proved a mere consolation for the hosts.
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