Hawks’ trip to Bath City next Tuesday in doubt due to Romans’ Covid positive test results

The Romans have returned two positive Covid test results and any more would result in the game being called off.

Bath called off Tuesday’s game with Dorking after their first positive result, and have also postponed this weekend’s trip to Concord Rangers.

Their squad were all tested on Wednesday, with results due back today.

Hawks have intermittently been testing their squad and staff since returning to action at the beginning of October, though testing is not mandatory at their level.

Reflecting the national picture, the NL South has not been anywhere near as hard hit in terms of Covid-related postponements compared to the North division.

There, Leamington had to postpone two league games against Farsley Celtic and Darlington due to their own outbreak and their game with Gateshead was also postponed because of an outbreak at the north east club.

Elsewhere, Kettering postponed matches against Southport and AFC Fylde, both of which have since been played, and also had a game at York postponed because of an outbreak at the Yorkshire club.

Locally, the pandemic has not had a huge impact on any of the Portsmouth area’s leading non-league clubs in terms of games being called off (prior to the second lockdown).

None have been forced to postpone league games, and none have had to withdraw from cup competitions due to positive Covid tests.

The only club affected so far is Gosport Borough, who will play two fewer Southern Premier League South games than originally planned due to Merthyr having been allowed to postpone all their games in 2020/21 due to Welsh travel restrictions.

Elsewhere, in other parts of the country, it has been a different story.

Fifteen clubs were forced to withdraw from the FA Cup, with National League club Notts County the highest profile casualty.

They conceded their fourth qualifying round tie at Kings Lynn, who are now waiting to play Portsmouth in the second round at Fratton Park.

Redhill, Walsham-le-Willows, Burton Park Wanderers, Dunston UTS, Coventry United, Broadbridge Heath, Lincoln United - who had eight players test positive - Oadby Town, Bamber Bridge, Alfreton Town, Kettering Town and Boston United all withdrew.

So too did Merthyr and Droylsden, the latter a former National League club who withdrew from the Northern Premier League.

In the FA Trophy, eight clubs have so far withdrawn following positive Covid tests - Prescot Cables, Chasetown, Canvey Island, Scarborough Athletic, Wimborne Town, Cinderford Town, Ilkeston Town and Yate Town.

In addition, Droylsden and Merthyr have withdrawn and Cleethorpes refused to travel to a tier 3 area to play City of Liverpool.

The FA Vase has not escaped either, with both Isle of Man and Jersey Bulls withdrawing due to the travel restrictions place on their islands.

Southwick, Exmouth Town and Cadbury Heath all withdrew following positive Covid tests, while Shelley Community withdrew after pulling out of the North West Counties League.

FC Oswestry Town also withdrew from the North West Counties League in the summer. That was after they had occupied second place in Division 1 South - the same level of the pyramid as US Portsmouth in Wessex Division 1 - when 2019/20 was halted in mid-March.