The EFL’s decision on Saturday’s abandoned Championship game between the Blues and Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park won’t come today, TWTD understands.

The match was called to an early halt in the 80th minute by referee Stephen Martin with the scoreline 1-0 to the home side with Town down to 10 men following Jacob Greaves’s dismissal for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity.

Heavy rain had impacted the game throughout with the ball slowed down by areas of standing water from the start. By the time the players were taken off, passing had become impossible and players were leaving a wake behind them when they slid in to make a challenge.

An EFL statement released after the match read: “The board will consider what action is to be taken as a result of the abandonment, in line with EFL regulations.”

The three possible options are the result standing as it was when the game was curtailed, playing the final 10 minutes plus injury time at a later date or restaging the match entirely.

Precedent suggests the latter is most likely outcome, as does FA rule 20(E)(iii) which 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.”

The clubs are understood to have presented cases to the EFL regarding how they believe the matter should be progressed.

Blackburn have come under fire for their pitch having become unplayable, however, two other matches in the area, AFC Fylde’s game against Leamington and Southport hosting Peterborough Sports, both in the National League North, were also abandoned and Rochdale’s fixture with Southend was postponed.

Photo: IMAGO/Pro Sports Images via Reuters Connect

Ipswich_Crazy added 19:11 - Sep 22 How hard is it to make a decision! Come on, ELF, sort it out!
14

Ipswich_Crazy added 19:14 - Sep 22 Correction to the first comment. How hard is it to make a decision! Come on, EFL, sort it out!
3

ArnieM added 19:15 - Sep 22 This feels like the shytehouse EFL we all know ....those basta rds will vote in Blackburns favour.
5

Mark added 19:16 - Sep 22 How long does a simple decision take? It has to be a full replay. It would be outrageous to reward Blackburn for their pitch failing to drain.
16

Gforce added 19:17 - Sep 22 Fingers crossed common sense prevails and the efl make the correct decision to replay the match.
8

Gforce added 19:17 - Sep 22 Fingers crossed common sense prevails and the efl make the correct decision to replay the match.
1

Gforce added 19:17 - Sep 22 Fingers crossed common sense prevails and the efl make the correct decision to replay the match.
0

BluedanW added 19:18 - Sep 22 Rochdale did the right thing postponing the game. Blackburn fans blaming the river, if blackburn k ow the issues with the river they should have postponed the game when it has rained for days and the river is close to bursting, instead of letting 4000 ipswich fans make the journey. Also they cannot give the game to Blackburn, that could set a precedent, teams switching off their flood lights with minutes left and calling an electrical fault.

25

backwaywhen added 19:20 - Sep 22 A lot of Parrots in the room ……..
2

blueprint added 19:22 - Sep 22 If the board is made up of other officials from other Championship clubs the. They’re going to look after Blackburn rather than a club like us with our millions .
-2

Gforce added 19:22 - Sep 22 General question, if the Efl were to somehow come to the decision to award the match to Blackburn, would/could we appeal it ??
1

Markp68 added 19:23 - Sep 22 Surely those deciding the outcome should not include a member from Norwich? Seems a very stupid thing for the EFL to have done
1

wischip added 19:26 - Sep 22 What else are they busy with today then ?
3

armchaircritic59 added 19:27 - Sep 22 backwaywhen, and the odd ELF, just making some small talk :)
0

Sefton_Blue added 19:28 - Sep 22 The decision should not be in the hands of the EFL’s representatives. Rules should be crystal clear at for all teams and fans at the start of the season
7

WestSussexBlue added 19:28 - Sep 22 With Ten minutes plus added on time left, surely anything could have happened. Therefore no clear and obvious decision can be made. Therefore a full match replay needs to happen to determine the fair result. Imagine if the result stands and Blackburn are relegated come May by a goal difference of -1. They’ll be claiming the game should have been replayed where they may have won the rearranged game 2-0!

5

armchaircritic59 added 19:31 - Sep 22 Par for the course, it'll take about 3/4 days ( or more ) to get a committee together, and 3/4 seconds to make the decision!
3

wischip added 19:35 - Sep 22 Are they holding off to see if any brown envelopes turn up ?
4

NorthLondonBlue2 added 19:36 - Sep 22 I believe the delay is very likely due to the representations both clubs have made and the need to study those and issue a ruling. I would be surprised if there were no appellate process, available to either party which would delay the final decision still further. Even if there were no formal appeal to be had, an application could be made for permission to seek judicial review on the basis the decision was so unreasonable, no reasonable decision maker could have so decided. In the trade, this is known as Wednesbury unreasonableness and is a high bar to reach indeed.

0

MickMillsTash added 20:01 - Sep 22 Ashton must be saying that this game should have been called off WAY WAY before it was. It was only not called off because Blackburn were winning- remember Ipswich Leicester 15 years ago on SKY when it should have ended at half time but we were winning. So you cant play 10 minutes again, and giving the game to Blackburn seems a nonsense - so there is only one decision and that is to Replay the whole match.

6

SickParrot added 20:31 - Sep 22 It would appear that the match has to be replayed unless the EFL decide that the abandonment was Blackburn's fault. This could be the case if they didn't take sufficient action to improve playing conditions at half time (I read on TWTD that Blackburn's effort to do this was just one man with a fork!). We could therefore be awarded all three points but I think a replay is more likely.

4

jas0999 added 20:52 - Sep 22 On the one hand, they were one up against ten men with ten minutes to play. On the other, they should be ashamed to have a ground and pitch which can’t deal with rain, at championship level …. In September.
8

runaround added 21:06 - Sep 22 There are a number of incidents over the years that have all led to replays. Some later in the game than this one was abandoned. Yet only one where the result stood which was 3-0 against 6 men Anything other than a replay would be a scandalous decision and would lead to it causing ructions that could roll on and on
3

pablo123 added 21:15 - Sep 22 Typical EFL nonsense , the game HAS t o be replayed , anything else would cause no end of future problems !!! Just agree to the replay and stop messing around
3

OliveR16 added 22:15 - Sep 22 Both clubs plus the official(s) make representations. I can't see why people 'just want a decision'. The EFL regulations do not presume to follow the general FA regulation and they will want to reason it out to help future cases. This is the right thing to do, and the result will be another full game because it is the only fair outcome for the integrity of the competition - not because it is fair for both sides in this actual game. It isn't. We were lucky.

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