PORTSMOUTH have postponed their second game in a row, six days ahead of their scheduled clash with Oxford United.

The south coast club called off tomorrow’s Papa John’s Trophy second round tie at Exeter City ‘due to current circumstances’.

It comes after Portsmouth postponed Saturday’s Sky Bet League One trip to AFC Wimbledon following several positive Covid tests in their squad.

The U’s are due to travel to Fratton Park on Boxing Day, but both clubs have been affected by the virus this week.

Ryan Williams: Oxford United will keep rolling with the punches

United had just 13 first-team players available for Saturday's defeat to Wigan Athletic after four tested positive for Covid in the build-up.

The first of those emerged on Thursday, which marked ten days before the scheduled trip to Pompey.

United also had seven players unavailable through injury or suspension against Wigan.

It was one of just six games to go ahead in the third tier this weekend, following a wave of Covid postponements.

Overall, 25 of last weekend’s 46 scheduled matches in the top four divisions were called off, including 19 in the English Football League (EFL).

But EFL chairman Rick Parry revealed on Saturday that there were no plans to suspend competitions following the rise in cases.

"We wondered if a short, sharp circuit-breaker this weekend would help but, frankly, it wouldn't," he said.

"There is no science to suggest it would help and, if you look at the geographical spread, there are areas where games can go ahead and where they can't.

"There's talk of the government having a two-week lockdown after Christmas so maybe that will be taken out of our hands.

"We are getting more information listening to the scientists, they need more data to try to work out exactly where we are going with this new strain. It is too early to tell.

"Next week we might be in a different position."

EFL clubs will meet to discuss the issue in the coming days.