The EFL has issued a statement relating to yesterday’s abandoned Championship game between the Blackburn Rovers and the Blues at Ewood Park.
The match was curtailed in the 80th minute as the torrential rain which had persisted throughout the game had made the surface unplayable.
At the time, Rovers were 1-0 in front via a Todd Cantwell penalty, while Town were down to 10 men following Jacob Greaves’s red card, an incident in which the conditions played a significant role.
"[Saturday]’s Sky Bet Championship fixture between Blackburn Rovers and Ipswich Town was abandoned due to an unplayable surface,” the statement reads. "The decision was taken in agreement with both managers.
"The board will consider what action is to be taken as a result of the abandonment, in line with EFL regulations.”
EFL regulation 34.2, indicates that any league match which from any cause falls short of 90 minutes’ duration may be ordered to count as a completed fixture or be replayed in full or in part on whatever terms and conditions the board shall in their absolute discretion determine.
However, as manager Kieran McKenna indicated he is anticipating with his post-match comments last night, the most likely option appears to be the game being restaged at a later date as FA rule 20(E)(iii) states: "In the event of a competition match not being played or abandoned owing to causes over which neither club has control, it should be played in its entirety on a date to be mutually agreed by the two clubs and approved by the competition.”
Meanwhile, it’s been confirmed that Jacob Greaves’s red card will stand whatever the EFL’s decision on the match overall. Greaves will be banned for one match for his first-ever senior dismissal, next week’s home match against Portsmouth.