Waterlogged Pitch Forces Full Replay of Blackburn vs Ipswich

The Sky Bet Championship fixture between Blackburn Rovers and Ipswich Town, abandoned on September 20th due to a waterlogged pitch, will be replayed in its entirety. The original match was halted in the 80th minute with Blackburn leading 1-0 and Ipswich having a player sent off. Despite Blackburn's advantages at the time of abandonment, the English Football League (EFL) opted for a full replay.

Both club managers expressed their views on the abandonment. Blackburn's Valerien Ismael felt his side was on the front foot and unfairly disadvantaged by the decision, calling the replay ruling "disgraceful." Ipswich's Kieran McKenna acknowledged the pitch conditions made the game unplayable and that the abandonment was inevitable, though perhaps made too late. The EFL stated the decision was made by a majority to uphold the integrity of the league by ensuring complete fixtures.

The decision to replay the match in full was announced on September 25th, with the fixture rescheduled for Tuesday, December 2nd, at Ewood Park. Blackburn Rovers publicly voiced their extreme disappointment, feeling the ruling did not accurately reflect the circumstances of the original game. This controversial decision highlights the complexities of managing abandoned fixtures in professional football.