Referee explains why Blackpool's game against Doncaster Rovers was called off

The fixture was called off due to a waterlogged pitch shortly after a pitch inspection was held at 6pm.

There were several patches of standing water on the pitch, with the ball barely rolling in areas.

Lewis and his team took a look at the surface as soon as they arrived at Bloomfield Road at around 5.15pm, with the game due to kick-off at 7pm.

However, a formal pitch inspection wasn’t held until 6pm as the referee had to wait for Doncaster’s officials to arrive.

One member of the referee’s team attempted to kick the ball, but it barely moved three yards.

The game was swiftly called off shortly afterwards.

“The rain has come down heavily in the last couple of hours and unfortunately it has taken its toll on the field of play,” Lewis explained.

“Currently as we stand here at the moment, with the rain coming down, the pitch is unplayable.

“There is then the risk of more rain coming through for the rest of the evening, looking at the forecasts.

"My primary concern is the safety of the players and there is also a situation where the integrity of the game is affected by the ball not moving in its natural way."

This is the seventh Blackpool game to be postponed this season and the fourth owing to weather in 2021.

The scheduled home match against Northampton Town was cancelled due to a waterlogged pitch, while further Bloomfield Road fixtures against Burton Albion and Peterborough United fell foul to a frozen pitch.

Prior to that, games against Sunderland, Rochdale and the initial Burton date were all postponed due to Covid-19 outbreaks among the opposition squads.

The Seasiders are already playing catch-up in League One having only played 26 games, which is three or four fewer than several sides in and around them.

The club has just one free midweek remaining between now and the end of the season, which comes between the final two games of the season.

A new date for the game will be announced in due course.

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