Blackburn-Millwall called off as bad weather forces host of EFL postponements

Posted Saturday, February 19, 2022 by PA

Storm Eunice took its toll on Saturday’s Football League programme as high winds and snow wreaked havoc across the country.

Blackburn’s Sky Bet Championship clash with Millwall, which was called off less than 45 minutes before it was due to kick off after surviving an earlier inspection, was the biggest casualty, with conditions worsening as the day wore on.

Rovers announced the decision in a post on their official Twitter account.

It said: “The referee has made a decision for today’s game not to go ahead due to the condition of the pitch and concerns over player safety.”

In League One, heavy snow put pay to Fleetwood’s home clash with Lincoln.

Shrewsbury’s game with Morecambe at the Montgomery Waters Meadow fell victim to a waterlogged pitch, with Crewe’s match at home to Portsmouth also called off.

Salford’s Sky Bet League Two clash with Crawley was another to be postponed because of a waterlogged pitch.

The playing surface at the Peninsula Stadium was judged to be unplayable after a second inspection following continued heavy rain.

A statement on the club’s official website read: “The surface passed a preliminary pitch inspection by the match official at 9am, with the officials due to return at 12:30pm.

“However rainfall continuously fell throughout the morning and when we requested that the match referee return earlier to re-assess and he deemed the surface unplayable.”

Harrogate’s League Two showdown with Leyton Orient also went after the Yorkshire club had appealed for volunteers to help clear the pitch.