Blues wait on pitch verdict

Pompey are facing up to the bleak prospect of yet another blank weekend.

The Blues were set to be informed this morning whether they would be setting off for Scunthorpe after a 9.30am pitch inspection at the Iron’s Glanford Park home.

Frost sheets and snow are set to be removed early to allow local referee Richard Wigglesworth to run the rule over the surface to see if the Pompey squad can set off as planned at 10am.

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With a lengthy trip north for the Blues, both clubs are eager to make a swift decision.

But sub-zero temperatures and more snow have been forecast, which will hamper Scunthorpe’s efforts to get the game on.

Facing up to the prospect of a third postponement in just seven fixtures – including last week’s scrapped match at home to Notts County because of a waterlogged pitch – Blues boss Guy Whittingham insisted it would not affect preparations as he waited for the verdict.

Pompey’s caretaker manager said: ‘It’s disappointing that it could be another week without a game for us.

‘We’re all desperate to play the game.

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‘We had the Notts County game called off last week, which was frustrating and then we’re going to Scunthorpe and the weather has been doing what it’s doing this week.

‘We still have to prepare for the game, which we are doing because you can’t control it.

‘And we still have to travel and we hope it’s on.

‘The players are asking what’s going on but they’re not stupid, they know what the weather is like.

‘We just have to wait and keep our fingers crossed because we all want to get up there and play.’

n Find out the outcome of Scunthorpe’s 9.30am pitch inspection this morning by logging on to portsmouth.co.uk