Portsmouth have announced that tonight’s game against Ipswich Town has been postponed for the second time due to a waterlogged surface at Fratton Park.

The two clubs were scheduled to meet on the south coast on January 4, but a frozen surface forced the game to be postponed only hours before kickoff.

Obviously, finding a free slot is not always simple, but the two teams had agreed that the game would take place tonight, in what would be a pivotal encounter for both Pompey and the Tractor Boys.

Portsmouth vs Ipswich postponed for the second match owing to the wet pitch.

However, there was significant rain in Hampshire overnight, and Portsmouth reported on social media that the game had been postponed once more owing to a waterlogged surface, with further rain expected until kick-off.

This comes just days after Pompey defeated West Brom 3-0 at home, although the rain in the area has increased significantly over the last 24 hours, plainly affecting the playing surface.

As a result, both sets of spectators, players, and managers will undoubtedly be quite frustrated, especially given the magnitude of the match.

Portsmouth are fighting relegation, with John Mousinho’s team now 20th in the standings, and they already have a game in hand on the majority of their opponents.

Meanwhile, Ipswich are seeking to rebound after a 1-1 draw with Preston last time out. That puts them seven points behind Coventry and Middlesbrough in the fight for automatic promotion, with a trip to Pompey coming up.

Portsmouth versus Ipswich meeting might be a major fixture when it’s rearranged later this season.

First and foremost, it is fortunate that this decision was made so early, as Ipswich fans will not have begun what would be a lengthy drive to the south coast.

It’s infuriating for supporters when they’ve already made the trip and the game is postponed when they arrive at the stadium, so Portsmouth deserves credit for making an early decision, even if some will be annoyed because they’ve likely taken time off work and possibly paid to stay overnight, but these things happen.

It’s unfortunate for both clubs that the game won’t be played tonight, since they’d both wanted to play for various reasons.

Pompey will have hoped to build on their stunning 3-0 victory against Albion last time out, and if they did pick up another three points, they may have opened up a significant gap on the bottom three.

Ipswich’s previous two performances and results had been lackluster, and with Coventry and Boro out of play, this was an opportunity to close the gap on their promotion rivals.

Now, the teams must choose a third date, which appears to be considerably later in the season, and it might be a fixture with significant consequences at the top and bottom of the Championship.