Pompey match frozen out

Today’s Barclays Premier League match between Portsmouth and Manchester City has been postponed because of a frozen pitch.

An inspection at Fratton Park this morning ruled the surface unplayable, and the Football League programme was also hit hard by the freezing conditions.

The third round of the FA Cup was badly affected last weekend and, with temperatures plummeting below -10C in the south this week, the picture was repeated seven days on.

Three matches in the Coca-Cola Championship were also called off today - promotion-chasing Birmingham’s trip to Blackpool, Plymouth’s meeting with Crystal Palace and Doncaster v Bristol City.

Yeovil’s trip to Bristol Rovers was another casualty this morning along with Walsall’s match against Brighton, Oldham v Hartlepool and the League Two game between Accrington and Darlington.

Yesterday saw eight Football League matches postponed with the League One games at Swindon, Southend, Millwall and Peterborough and League Two contests at Dagenham and Redbridge, Bournemouth, Luton and Gillingham all frozen off.

In Scotland, Inverurie Locos’ Scottish Cup tie against Motherwell also went yesterday.