Professional football may have been suspended in the UK because of the coronavirus pandemic but five of Norwich City’s loan players did still see action on Saturday.

In the National League, centre-back Timi Odusina played the full 90 minutes as Hartlepool drew 1-1 away to mid-table rivals Sutton United, leaving the Pools three points adrift of the play-off places.

The 20-year-old defender, whose contract is set to expire at City this summer, has played every minute of eight successive league games since joining the County Durham club in January.

Odusina joined City as a 16-year-old having previously been with Arsenal and was part of the squad which reached the FA Youth Cup quarter-finals in 2018, alongside the likes of Max Aarons and Adam Idah.

There was action in Norfolk for Simon Power and Alfie Payne, as King's Lynn Town's National League North promotion hopes were knocked by a 1-0 defeat to mid-table Guiseley at The Walks, a second successive defeat for Ian Culverhouse's team.

Norwich Evening News: Norwich City loanee Simon Power, right, in action for King's Lynn against Guiseley Picture: Ian BurtNorwich City loanee Simon Power, right, in action for King's Lynn against Guiseley Picture: Ian Burt (Image: Ian Burt Photography)

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Canaries midfielder Payne played the full match and Irish winger Power came on for the final 30 minutes but couldn't prevent the defeat, in front of a crowd of over 1,400 spectators.

City goalkeeper Aston Oxborough played the full game as National League South leaders Wealdstone drew 1-1 at mid-table Chippenham, with Havant & Waterlooville winning to cut their lead to three points.

Another young Canaries keeper, Billy Johnson, couldn't prevent Braintree's 1-0 defeat to relegation rivals St Albans City which saw the hosts slip back to second from bottom.

However, the report on Braintree's website states: 'It was a below par performance and but for the heroics of young Norwich City goalkeeper Billy Johnson the visitors would have clearly won by a bigger margin.'

The National League bucked the postponement trend with the decision to press ahead, although some clubs affected by the coronavirus pandemic did postpone games.

A statement thanking the fans, players, officials, staff, volunteers and sponsors who ensured 23 matches did go ahead included chief executive, Michael Tattersall, saying: 'Our thoughts are with the players and staff of our Clubs who are self-isolating or otherwise affected by the coronavirus.

'The National League is keeping the continuation of the season under constant review and will provide a further update in due course'.

With almost all football in the UK postponed, it was a similar story on the continent, with City's players on loan in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany all not seeing action.

Young defender Louis Lomas also has no imminent football to look forward to in the US second tier with Tampa Bay Rowdies seeing the United Soccer League suspended for at least 30 days.