Cardiff City's relegation six-pointer against Rotherham United will have to be rearranged after the game at the New York Stadium was called off due to huge rainfall.
After a beautiful start to the day in Yorkshire, the 20-minute burst of rain at half-time rendered the pitch unplayable in the second half, after Cardiff had taken an early lead through Jaden Philogene. Referee Oliver Langford removed the players from the pitch after 47 minutes.
Just four ground staff made their way on to the pitch and attempted to mop the water off the surface, while being cheered on by the Bluebirds supporters, who felt their team had a good chance of earning a precious three points.
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But after two ground inspections, which ended in Langford throwing the ball up in the air before it dropped and squelched into the floor, the game was called off.
An announcement over the public address system said that after consultation with the EFL the match had been postponed due to an 'unsafe pitch'. The game will now be rearranged, because the cut-off point to call the result was 75 minutes, with the game restarting at 0-0.
It will be all the more frustrating because Cardiff started in the best possible fashion at the New York Stadium. An early attack saw Mahlon Romeo pick up the ball on the right-hand side before he floated a tempting ball towards the back post, which Callum O'Dowda headed into a dangerous area. Philogene, cool as ever, took his time and stuck it in the bottom corner.
It lifted the away supporters no end, but the Millers knew they needed to hit back and almost did through Cardiff old-boy Lee Peltier when a cross fell to him in the box. The right-back could only lash his effort into the side-netting, though.
Much of the rest of the first half was played between the two sides' boxes, though, with a real lack of penetration on show. However, the visitors finished the half the stronger of the two.
Kion Etete, who had an excellent first 40 minutes, worked tirelessly down the left and skinned two or three Rotherham players before being brought down on the edge of the box. Unfortunately, he could not continue and was replaced by Sheyi Ojo.
Perry Ng stepped up to whack the resultant free-kick and pinged it into the crossbar. So close to a City second.
But, truth be told, they should have gone into the break two goals to the good. One Cardiff breakaway saw Sory Kaba release Ojo, who only had the goalkeeper to beat, but his unconvincing poke towards goal allowed Viktor Johansson time to stretch out his leg and save it.
Then, the heavens opened. Half time saw an almighty downpour. Almost apocalyptic conditions as the sky emptied itself on to the New York Stadium turf.
The players could barely kick the ball - and when they did it was going inches in front of them. It was more akin to a Subbuteo game than a Championship clash.
Referee Oliver Langford called the two captains - Ryan Wintle and Jordan Hugill - together before the decision was made to temporarily suspend the match after 47 minutes.
The rain quickly abated, but the pitch was sodden. Puddles appeared left, right and centre and the white lines distinguishing the boundaries of the pitch were covered in water.
But despite the best part of half an hour of dry weather and ground staff pushing water off the playing surface, the pitch still was not deemed playable.
A disappointing end to what initially appeared to be a promising day for the Bluebirds.
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