COLCHESTER United’s match at Bristol Rovers today has been postponed following heavy snowfall around the Memorial Stadium.

Although referee Michael Naylor ruled that pitch – having been protected from the frost by covers – was playable, he decided that the car park and surrounding areas were unsafe for supporters following an early morning snowfall.

It means the Colchester United players and staff endured a slow seven hour journey to Bristol on Friday and overnight stay in a hotel for nothing.

This is the second match Colchester have had postponed due to snow this month, with their match scheduled for December 4 at Brighton also called off.

The U’s have rescheduled that trip for Tuesday 25 January, meaning they already have seven games (four of them away) next month.

Colchester are also yet to confirm a new date for their trip to Notts County, which had been scheduled for January 8 but has now been replaced by their FA Cup third round trip to Swansea.

As it stands 10 of the scheduled 11 League One games for today have been postponed, with Exeter City v Sheffield Wednesday only going ahead following frantic work to clear the pitch and stands of snow.

The weather looks set to decimate the fixture list, with two Premier League matches already off (Wigan v Aston Villa and Liverpool v Fulham), two in the Championship (Cardiff v Burnley and Portsmouth v Scunthorpe) and all League Two matches postponed.