EFL

“In respect of Ollie Clarke, the club maintains that the appropriate protocols and governance procedures regarding player suspensions were followed and that both the club and the player complied with the terms of the suspension as notified to them by the FA at all times,” Swindon said in a statement., external

“Ollie Clarke will complete his suspension as notified and will not be available for the forthcoming fixtures against Salford City (League Two and FA Cup) and Bromley (League Two).”

Robins top scorer Drinan, 27, was a half-time substitute despite not being named on the teamsheet.

It took until the 64th minute for Drinan’s presence to be questioned, leading to an eight-minute delay in play, with the forward eventually staying on the pitch.

Swindon boss Ian Holloway admitted the club expected “some sort of action” over what they have now described as a clerical error.

“In relation to the matter concerning Aaron Drinan, the club acknowledges that his name was inadvertently omitted from the official team sheet,” Swindon said.

“This was a clerical error in the completion of match documentation. The club wishes to make clear that there was no intention to mislead, deceive, or gain any sporting or competitive advantage.

“Aaron Drinan was, at all times, a fully registered and otherwise eligible player to participate in the fixture.”

The EFL said “the two matters will now be considered by an individual disciplinary commission”.

Two of Sunday’s Championship matches have been postponed because of frozen pitches, with a number of others called off elsewhere in the EFL.

The 12:00 GMT kick-off between Sheffield United and Oxford United and Portsmouth’s game against Ipswich at 15:00 are both off.

In a statement, the Blades said a referee looked at the Bramall Lane pitch before the scheduled start and found parts of the playing surface were frozen.

The game at Fratton Park was postponed following a pitch inspection at 11:00 GMT.

Nine fixtures have also been called off in League Two and two more have fallen to the freezing weather in League One.

In League One, Doncaster’s meeting with Luton and Rotherham v Mansfield were also called off on Sunday.

In addition to five of Sunday’s League Two fixtures which had already been postponed on Saturday, Barnet v Crewe, Barrow v Bristol Rovers, Colchester v Accrington and Newport v Tranmere failed pitch inspections.

We need to talk about Hull City. No, we really do.

Four wins during a five-match unbeaten run have been eye-catching enough but when you consider those victories have come against Wrexham, Millwall, West Bromwich Albion and Middlesbrough it is time we took notice.

Those victories have also come without the Championship’s joint second top scorer, Joe Gelhardt, who may still be out for at least another fortnight before he can add to his 10 goals, while winger Mohamed Belloumi has also joined the casualty list.

Under their previously unheralded boss Sergej Jakirovic, the Tigers have quietly sneaked into fourth place, two points outside the automatic promotion places.

“I’m very pleased because we are playing well and we will try to push this but it will not be easy because everyone is struggling with injuries,” said Jakirovic after Monday’s win at Middlesbrough.

A title winner in his native Bosnia as well as Croatia, he knows how to get the job done but sustaining it with limited trading ability in the January transfer window will be a test of his skills.

Also, before any fans in East Yorkshire get too excited they may like to look at Thursday’s opponents Stoke when they arrive at the MKM Stadium (15:00 GMT).

Second at the end of November, the Potters’ poor run of five defeats from their past seven outings finds them now in 10th place, four points short of the top six.

Fortunes can fluctuate quickly in football, particularly in the chaos that is the Championship.