Sporting schedule hit by weather

Numerous Football League fixtures have been called off because of snow

The adverse weather conditions have severely disrupted this week's sporting schedule across Britain.

Tuesday's FA Cup fourth-round replay between Arsenal and Cardiff was called off following Monday's heavy snowfall but Burnley's tie with West Brom is on.

Many Football League matches were also postponed, with Southend v Scunthorpe called off 15 minutes before kick-off.

Race meetings at Sedgefield, Southwell and Market Rasen, where Tony McCoy was set to chase a 3,000th winner, are off.

McCoy has ridden 2,998 winners during a career in which he has been 13-times champion jockey.

The 34-year-old has been continually frustrated by abandonments over the past week and had been due to ride three times at Southwell in Nottinghamshire on Monday, but that meeting fell foul of the weather.

And he will have to wait even longer after Market Rasen's meeting was abandoned.

McCoy is next due to ride at Carlisle on Wednesday, but he may be foiled again as the racecourse faces an inspection at 1500 GMT on Tuesday.

Wednesday's meeting at Ludlow has already been cancelled as the track is frozen in places and has a covering of snow.

Kempton and Lingfield are due to stage all-weather flat fixtures on Wednesday, the track at Taunton, where racing is scheduled for Thursday, is frozen and Thursday's other jumps card is at Huntingdon, where there is a light covering of snow.

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Officials at Newbury are hoping the covers which were deployed last Friday will do their job to allow Saturday's big meeting to go ahead.

Arsenal and Cardiff drew 0-0 in their meeting at Ninian Park last Sunday and their replay has been re-scheduled for Monday, 16 February, with the fifth round due to take place over the weekend.

In the Championship, Birmingham's trip to Crystal Palace, Queen's Park Rangers' match against Swansea and Sheffield Wednesday's South Yorkshire derby with Barnsley will have to be rescheduled.

But BBC Radio Sheffield reports that Sheffield United's game with Southampton at St Mary's will take place and Preston's home game with Plymouth has also beaten the weather.

Wolves will also have the chance to extend their lead at the top of the table as their home game against Norwich has also been given the all clear and Bristol City will welcome Charlton to Ashton Gate after the pitch passed a lunchtime inspection.

Nine games have gone in League One - Brighton v Peterborough, Carlisle v Hereford, Cheltenham v Tranmere, Crewe v Yeovil, Leyton Orient v Leeds, Millwall v Colchester, Northampton v Swindon, Oldham v Bristol Rovers and Southend v Scunthorpe.

A pitch inspection takes place at Walsall at 1300 GMT, but the game at Huddersfield is on, as is Stockport's home game with MK Dons after the pitch at Edgeley Park passed an inspection on Tuesday morning.

In League Two, Aldershot v Chesterfield, Dagenham & Redbridge v Bournemouth, Exeter v Port Vale, Lincoln v Macclesfield, Luton v Grimsby, Notts County v Gillingham, Rotherham v Bury and Wycombe v Barnet have all been postponed.

Morecambe's Christie Park has passed a Tuesday morning inspection and their game with Brentford is on. The games at Chester and Shrewsbury have also survived, so far.

The Blue Square Premier clash between Torquay and Weymouth is off due to snow at Plainmoor.

In theFA Trophy, York's third round replay with Kidderminster has also been postponed.

With the Six Nations rugby union championship starting on Saturday, England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales will hope the snow clears as they put the final touches to their preparations.

In rugby league, the new Super League season is due to start on Friday.

SPORTING POSTPONEMENTS

Tuesday

Football

FA Cup fourth round replay: Arsenal v Cardiff

Championship: Crystal Palace v Birmingham, QPR v Swansea, Sheffield Wednesday v Barnsley

League One: Brighton v Peterborough, Carlisle v Hereford, Cheltenham v Tranmere, Crewe v Yeovil, Leyton Orient v Leeds, Millwall v Colchester, Northampton v Swindon, Oldham v Bristol Rovers, Southend v Scunthorpe

League Two: Aldershot v Chesterfield, Dagenham v Bournemouth, Exeter v Port Vale, Lincoln v Macclesfield, Luton v Grimsby, Notts County v Gillingham, Rotherham v Bury, Wycombe v Barnet

Blue Square Premier: Torquay v Weymouth

FA Trophy third round replay: York v Kidderminster

Racing

Market Rasen, Sedgefield, Southwell

Wednesday

Racing

Ludlow