For the second successive game week, Motherwell had a Scottish Premiership match postponed within 10 hours of kick-off due to an outbreak of Covid-19 in the opposition squad.
First Kilmarnock, then St Mirren had players forced into isolation and had to inform the SPFL they could not fulfil their fixture, with the game to be rescheduled.
It means the Fir Park side will have gone nearly a month without a game despite being able to play.
“I think there needs to be a law change that, if you can’t fulfil a fixture, tough, three points,” said Motherwell reserve coach Maurice Ross, who believes the system is flawed.
What happened on Saturday?
Just before 12:30 BST – two-and-a-half hours before kick-off – the SPFL and St Mirren confirmed that the Paisley club could not fulfil the fixture because they only had eight available outfield players.
That was because a third player in the squad had returned a positive Covid-19 test, after two of his team-mates did so on Monday.
As a result, a chunk of the squad were forced to self-isolate having been identified as close contacts.
The SPFL say they are investigating the circumstances but Ross says the Motherwell squad only knew a postponement was a possibility when they turned up at Fir Park on Saturday morning.
“Our players were sat in that stadium yesterday eating scrambled eggs and thinking they’re playing a game in three hours,” he said. “I think the set-up leaves a lot to be desired to be honest.”
It remains to be seen when exactly St Mirren’s players were tested, but part of the delay could be down to the time it takes for close contacts of positive cases to be effectively traced.
What about the Kilmarnock game?
This was a similar situation. On the day of the game – 2 October – Kilmarnock requested a postponement after their entire first-team squad were forced to self-isolate for 14 days on the advice of the local test and protect team.
That was because three players returned positive Covid tests earlier in the week, followed by a further three after more screening on the day…
— to www.bbc.co.uk
