CHERRIES' FA Cup fourth-round tie against Crawley Town has been postponed due to a coronavirus outbreak at the League Two club.

John Yems's side were due to travel to Vitality Stadium on Saturday.

However, after a number of positive COVID-19 tests among the squad this week, they were forced to postpone their league game against Stevenage on Tuesday, as well as this cup tie with Cherries.

Instead, it the game has been rearranged to be played at Vitality Stadium on Tuesday, January 26 (7pm), ahead of the fifth round of the competition taking place next month.

A statement from the FA read: “Crawley Town FC’s fixture against AFC Bournemouth in the Emirates FA Cup fourth round proper has been re-scheduled following a decision by The FA’s Professional Game Board.

“The fixture is now scheduled to take place at the Vitality Stadium on Tuesday 26 January 2021 and will be broadcast live on BT Sport Extra 3 at 19:00.

“Crawley Town FC informed The FA that there have been a significant number of positive COVID-19 cases at the club and a number of further players are currently self-isolating. The FA requested and considered further information regarding Crawley Town FC’s ability to fulfil the fixture, which included discussions with The FA’s COVID-19 medical officer for the Emirates FA Cup and details of the medical advice that the club has received, which was used by the Professional Game Board to make its decision.

"The FA would like to thank the EFL, Crawley, AFC Bournemouth, Walsall and BT Sport for helping to make the re-scheduling of this fixture possible and wish full and speedy recoveries to all those who have tested positive for COVID."

Speaking to Sky Sports earlier today, Crawley’s technical director Erdem Konyar was hopeful of being able to field a team on Tuesday.

He said: “We have multiple cases which reacted in the way to call the match (against Stevenage) off, but we will have our testing again on Friday and Sunday to see if we can try and fulfil the fixture and possibly play the Bournemouth game on Tuesday.

“First and foremost the health of all the staff and players is paramount in this football club. But after our testing on Friday and Sunday we’ll see if we can go on and if we can fulfil the fixture on Tuesday.

“To be honest, we have enough fit players to play on Saturday but due to the national regulations and the EFL regulations and laws, we have to abide by them and that’s the reason why we will wait for the testing on Friday and Sunday.

“Hopefully if we can play on Tuesday then the financial impact will not be important, as it’s not important anyway, the health is paramount.”