Heavy rain hits Sussex football - after Covid had already tried

The Hastings United pitch before today's rain / Picture: Simon Rudkins, Hastings Utd

What Covid started, heavy rain has almost finished off. A number of this weeknd's football matches involving Sussex teams were called off before today - now the persistent rain that's fallen across the south-east has wiped out many more.

Bognor and Horsham were among sides to have Isthmian premier division matches called off before today because of Covid cases in various teams' camps - while Lewes Women's fixture tomorrow went the same way.

But with plenty of steady rain falling last night and this morning, many more matches have been called off.

Worthing's hopes of extending their Isthmian premier lead at East Thurrock were wiped out by a morning pitch inspection.

In the Isthmian south east, Chichester City v Herne Bay and Sittingbourne v Burgess Hill were washed out - while Haywards Heath v Ramsgate was added to the list of lost games only an hour or so before kick-off. And the situation is worse in the Southern Combination - with only four games, all on artificial pitches, surviving.

Matches off included: Wick v Mile Oak (after a second pitch inspection, the earlier one having said the pitch was okay); Little Common v Bexhill (off for a second time within a fortnight as Little Common are frustrated in their attempts to return to their home ground after four-plus years away); Midhurst v Storrington; Hailsham v Selsey; Saltdean v Eastbourne United; AFC Uckfield v Hassocks; Arundel v Seaford; Worthing Utd v Godalming; Billingshurst v Oakwood; Littlehampton v Peacehaven.

Matches involving Sussex sides that have escaped the weather include West Brom v Brighton in the FA Cup; Northampton v Crawley Town in League Two; Oxford City v Eastbourne Boro in National South, Enfield v Lewes in the Isthmian premier; Hastings v Faversham, Three Bridges v VCD, Phoenix v East Grinstead,Hythe v Whitehawk, Ashford United v Lancing and in the Isthmian south-east; Loxwood v Pagham in the SCFL (being played at Horsham) and in the SCFL - LOXWOOD v PAGHAM (on 3G at Horsham FC); MONTPELIER v EPSOM & EWELL (on 3G at SCFA HQ); UPPER BEEDING v WORTHING TOWN (on 3G at Steyning FC) SCFA Int Cup: LITTLEHAMPTON UTD v RUSTINGTON (on 3G at Worthing FC).