Covid-19 forces postponement of local non-league fixtures

The surge in Covid-19 cases across the country has started to have an impact on this weekend's local non-league fixtures.

Already half of the next batch of Premier League games have been postponed, while a number of Football League matches have gone the same way as players return a large number of positive tests.

And it is becoming a similar story in the lower levels, with Long Melford confirming that their home Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division match against Kirkley & Pakefield is off.

A message on the Villagers' Twitter feed read: "Sadly, due to covid cases and isolations within the squad, we have consulted with the @ThurlowNunnL and made the decision to postpone our first team game tomorrow at home to @KPFCROYALS in the interests of the safety of players and volunteers."

An outbreak of the virus has also seen Thetford Town's home encounter with Walsham-le-Willows fall by the wayside, with a new date for the Premier Division fixture set to be arranged in due course.

And just after 3pm, new Pitching In Isthmian League North Division leaders Stowmarket Town confirmed that they will no long be in action against Maldon & Tiptree at Greens Meadow.

A post on Stow's Twitter cited: "Due to COVID and injuries at @MaldonTiptreeFC."