Portsmouth's home Championship fixture against Millwall is set to go ahead as scheduled this weekend despite the arrival of Storm Austen. The club has stated there are no present worries about the 12.30pm kick-off being called off, even with a yellow weather warning for wind and rain in force until 5pm on Saturday. This match is a quick rematch of their last fixture, which Portsmouth won 2-1 on Saturday 24 October.
Gusty conditions and heavy downpours are expected at Fratton Park from around 2pm, coinciding with the latter stages of the match. Storm Austen is the first named storm of the season, bringing scrutiny to the club's recently upgraded playing surface. Portsmouth invested £1.5m to replace their old soil-based pitch with a new hybrid system featuring improved drainage, though the club opted against installing undersoil heating. The surface has been tested before, with a match abandoned at half-time in October 2013 amid monsoon-like conditions and a game called off due to a waterlogged pitch the following month.
Squad stretched by injuries
John Mousinho's side, currently 13th in the Championship with 15 points from 11 games, face this challenge with a squad significantly weakened by injuries. Their record of four wins, three draws, and four losses leaves them with a goal difference of zero, having scored and conceded 14 goals each. They are also ten points adrift of the league leaders, Middlesbrough. This comes as they look to build on a positive run of form that has seen them take seven points from the last nine available. Their most recent result was a 2-1 victory over this same Millwall side just days ago, with Thomas Waddingham scoring an 82nd-minute winner after Lyndon Dykes had earlier put through his own net. That victory was part of a recent run of three wins, one draw, and one loss from their last five matches, a sequence that includes a 1-1 draw with Wolves on Tuesday 20 October and a 1-0 win at Norwich on Saturday 17 October.
Millwall, who took the lead in that match through Jenson Metcalfe, have gathered six points from their last seven league outings. Portsmouth's next assignment after this is a trip to face 22nd-placed Burnley on Saturday 31 October. The team's recent form reads three wins, one draw, and one loss from their last five matches, showing resilience despite the mounting injury list. Supporters can check the latest availability on the club's injuries page ahead of the weekend.
The club's official position is that the match will proceed. The final decision rests with the match officials, who will conduct a pitch inspection if necessary, but all preparations are continuing for a 12.30pm start on Saturday.
The original report is at portsmouth.co.uk
