Harrogate Town eliminated from Carabao Cup as Rochdale receive a bye

It comes a day after Harrogate saw their next scheduled three matches in league and cup postponed due to an outbreak of Covid-19.

The Sulphurites' tie with Rochdale, due to take place on Tuesday night, was the first fixture to be called off, alongside the club's League Two trips to Crawley Town and Leyton Orient.

Now the governing body have determined that with the second round due to take place in a fortnight, Harrogate will have no available time, due to their other commitments, to fit in the fixture.

Last season, Orient had to forfeit their tie against Tottenham Hotspur when coronavirus left them unable to play.

A league statement read: "Rochdale AFC will receive a bye into this season’s Round Two of the Carabao Cup after it was determined opponents Harrogate Town would be unable to fulfil the Round One fixture within the required time period.

"This follows a request to reschedule Harrogate’s next three fixtures after number of positive cases of COVID-19 were identified within the club and a number of individuals being unable to play or train due to either a positive test, or the requirement to self-isolate, in line with Government and EFL guidance.

"While Harrogate Town did seek to reschedule the Carabao Cup fixture, the available date proposed would not have provided enough time for logistical arrangements to be made, or tickets to be sold for the Round Two tie and in accordance with Carabao Cup rule 5.1, Harrogate Town will therefore forfeit the tie."