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Boreham Wood's Meadow Park has been used to host Arsenal Under-23s and women's games

Five of Saturday's 11 National League games have been called off, despite the league's board allowing fixtures in its three divisions to go ahead as planned.

The National League made their decision at a board meeting on Friday.

However, a total of six games have been called off owing to issues relating to coronavirus - with Bromley-Chorley and Woking-Dagenham postponed on Saturday.

Premier League, English Football League and elite women's football matches are all suspended until at least 3 April.

The fifth-tier games at Yeovil, Boreham Wood and Barrow were all called off on Friday, while the game between Solihull Moors and Harrogate scheduled to take place that night was also cancelled.

Boreham Wood made their decision to request a postponement of their game against Torquay as a result of their long association with Arsenal, who host their under-23s games at Wood's Meadow Park home.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was confirmed as having tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday.

A Boreham Wood statement read: "We feel we must follow the FA, the Premier League and Arsenal FC's lead in respect to Covid-19.

"Although Mikel has not visited Meadow Park for some weeks, it was very clear that many of his support staff had attended recent development and youth games held at Meadow Park and all had been in contact with him at the Arsenal training centre.

"As such it has been decided by Wood chairman Danny Hunter, after consultation with the FA and the officials of the National League, that every precautionary measure must be afforded."

Promotion-chasing Harrogate were given the go-ahead to call Friday's game at Solihull off, as four of the Yorkshire side's employees are in self-isolation.

Yeovil's fixture was postponed because members of Barnet's backroom staff are self-isolating.

Meanwhile, leaders Barrow will not be in action against Wrexham on Saturday as a member of the Welsh club's first-team squad has been advised to self-isolate.

Chorley said one of their staff members had been "taken ill en route" to their match at Bromley.

National League statement

"The National League will keep the operation of its competition under constant and diligent review, and will remain in compliance with government advice at all times.

"The Football Association has offered its guidance, and made it clear the decision to continue or to suspend a competition is a matter for each league to make.

"The National League places the welfare and well-being of all those involved in and connected to its competition as the highest priority.

"All clubs and supporters are encouraged to stay up to date with the latest public health advice."

Chesterfield have been critical of the decision in a statement, with company secretary Ashley Carson saying the club "did not support the decision at all".

He said: "Premier League and EFL clubs have been joined by grassroots clubs in postponing matches so it would surely have been a sensible approach for the National League to follow suit."

What about grassroots football?

In a statement, the Football Association said: "Consistent with government advice, we are recommending that grassroots football is able to continue as usual for now, with each league or centre making its own individual decision based on its local situation and the availability of players and officials.

"However, we would fully respect and support any leagues, centres or teams that wish to postpone fixtures in light of the Covid-19 virus."

The Isthmian League, which involves teams in the south and east of England at levels seven and eight in the English football pyramid, have postponed all this weekend's matches.