Storm Bert Causes Postponements for Multiple Football Matches, Including Blackburn v Portsmouth

The Championship fixture between Blackburn Rovers and Portsmouth at Ewood Park was among multiple English Football League (EFL) games affected by Storm Bert on Saturday. Storm Bert led to the cancellation of Saturday’s English Football League schedule, with games involving Blackburn, Bradford, Fleetwood, and Salford being postponed. Additionally, National League fixtures at AFC Fylde and Rochdale were also called off. The Championship encounter between Blackburn Rovers and Portsmouth was deferred after an 11:00 GMT pitch inspection revealed a waterlogged playing surface. Bradford City’s League Two match against Accrington Stanley was also postponed, following a 10:30 GMT assessment of the pitch and the vicinity of the University of Bradford Stadium conducted by referee Michael Barlow. According to a statement on the Bantams’ official club website, significant overnight snowfall and rain had rendered the pitch “unplayable”. In the Pennines region, MK Dons’ planned trip to Fleetwood Town’s Highbury Stadium was similarly cancelled after a 10:30 GMT inspection. Fleetwood reported that the pitch had become waterlogged due to the overnight storm, and the postponement decision received agreement from both participating clubs and the match officials. Salford’s home fixture against Bromley was subsequently cancelled just over an hour prior to kick-off due to a waterlogged pitch. The Ammies stated that while there were “minimal concerns” on Saturday morning regarding the match proceeding, deteriorating conditions led to the “pitch became unplayable in a short space of time”. The local derby between Rochdale and Oldham Athletic, along with AFC Fylde’s home fixture against Ebbsfleet in the National League, were also affected by the adverse weather. The match between Halifax Town and Sutton United had been called off on Friday, as The Shay pitch was frozen. The full list of postponed matches includes: Championship: Blackburn Rovers v Portsmouth; League Two: Bradford City v Accrington Stanley, Fleetwood Town v MK Dons, Salford City v Bromley; National League: AFC Fylde v Ebbsfleet United, Rochdale v Oldham Athletic.