A sickening clash of heads between the Ramsgate’s Nick Treadwell and Herne Bay’s Lee Browning in the 20^th minute led to this match being abandoned at half time so that the emergency services could attend.

Two paramedic cars, two ambulances and eventually the Kent air ambulance were on the scene with Treadwell being taken to hospital by road ambulance and Browning airlifted to receive hospital treatment.

Ironically, the clash of heads resulted from a challenge that Treadwell was shown a yellow card for.

Both players went to ground, albeit Treadwell belatedly, with Browning laying motionless for several minutes. Both had to be helped from the pitch, substitutions were made and the game continued.

Herne Bay had taken the lead in the 7^th minute when Kane Phillip stooped at the back post to head home a right side free-kick.

The paramedics arrived just before half time, followed by one ambulance. Once it was known that the ambulance would have to gain access to the pitch as neither player could be transferred the length of it, the kick off for the second half was delayed and eventually the game was abandoned to await the arrival of a second ambulance and the air ambulance.

By then some 50 minutes had elapsed following the end of the first half.

“Lee’s been flown to Ashford Hospital (William Harvey) to have a scan on his head, we think it’s precautionary but obviously he wasn’t in a good way, so we wait to see what that reveals and we hope that he is ok”, said Herne Bay manager Sam Denly.

“It was a bad clash of heads, we got him in the physio room straight away and he started having a few fits, it was a real concern to us, all of our thoughts are with him and we hope that he will be ok.”

“We hope that both he and Treds (Nick Treadwell will make a speedy recovery. It was absolutely the right decision to abandon the game by the referee.”

“My main concern was Lee Browning and obviously Jim’s (Jim Ward, Ramsgate manager) was Treadwell and football becomes incidental. The referee made the right call and both managers agreed”.

• An update at 9pm on Saturday – both players are doing well following scans and should be free to leave hospital at some point.

 

Herne Bay: Jack Delo, Michael Turner, Gary Sayer, Dan Johnson, Liam Quin, Connor Sanders, Danny Walder, Lee Browning (Dan Parkinson 21), Mark Lovell, James Turner, Kane Phillip.

Subs not used: Nathan Eastwood, Elliott Cutts, Danny Williams, Joe Nelder

Sent Off: none  Cautioned: none.

 

Ramsgate: Luke Watkins, Jake McKenzie, Stephen Butcher, Joe Kane, Oliver Gray, Luke Girt, Tom Loynes, Wayne Wilson, Ian Pullman, Joe Taylor, Nick Treadwell (Aaron Quain 21).

Subs not used: Luke Wheatley, Matt Adams, Daniel Vinson, Kane Smith.

Sent Off: none              Cautioned: Nick Treadwell.

 

Referee:  Stephen Brown                       Assistant Referees: Turan Yesilyurt & Alex Lewis.

 

Herne Bay (1) A

Kane Phillip 7

 

Ramsgate (0) A

 

Attendance: 304

 

Ryman Isthmian League Division One (South)

Saturday 19^th March 2016

(at The Altira Park Stadium, Winch’s Field)

 

Photo credit: Peter Guise – the Kent air ambulance taking Lee Browning to the William Harvey.