Portsmouth and Bolton learn new date for rearranged clash due to the Blues' five international call-ups

The fixture was set to be played on Saturday, March 26 at 3pm, but due to the Blues’ quintet of international call-ups, Danny Cowley was unable to field an XI.

Now, the EFL have moved the club’s visit to the University of Bolton Stadium to Tuesday, April 5 for an 8pm kick-off.

It follows Joe Morrell’s inclusion in Rob Page’s Wales squad for their World Cup qualifier against Austria, plus an added friendly.

In addition to the central midfielder’s call-up, Harry Jewitt-White and Ollie Webber are to be selected for Wales under-18s and Northern Ireland under-21s.

And Gavin Bazunu and Ronan Curtis complete the five, as they are to link-up with the Republic of Ireland, with the latter named in the provisional squad.

The rearranged fixture in Lancashire means Pompey will wait 17 days between their fixture home meeting with Wycombe on Saturday (March 19), and playing Ian Evatt’s side.

Earlier in the week Cowley told The News: ‘We think we are going to be without a game for two-and-a-half weeks if the Bolton game gets cancelled.

‘We would like to keep playing because we are in good form, but, ultimately, we can’t do that because if we did we’d be playing without Gavin Bazunu, Joe Morrell, Ronan Curtis and Ollie Webber.

‘We also hope Harry Jewitt-White is called up for Wales again. So that’s potentially five missing.

‘I don’t think we would be able to get an XI out for Bolton with the loss of all of those, so we don’t really have a choice in the matter.

‘The two-and-a-half week break should help us.

‘The players have given an incredible amount in a very small space of time, so it should allow us to find that balance between freshness and fitness.

‘That should give us a chance to freshen people up, to then allow us to have a good period on the training ground to be able to attack the final eight matches of the season.

‘Although, if we are honest, previously in the season when we’ve had these breaks it hasn’t helped us.’

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