An English lower league cup match was abandoned on Tuesday after a player was knocked unconscious following a collision and was taken to hospital with a head injury.
Accrington Stanley defender Tom Bender was treated on the pitch with oxygen for 30 minutes after a collision with his keeper Ian Dunbavin and an opponent during the game against Tranmere in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for third and fourth tier clubs.
Accrington manager John Coleman said: ''Their striker was trying to get the ball. He was eager and it led to Tom's momentum going onto a full-blooded punch from Bavs. It was like double the force and the fact Tom didn't move when he hit the floor is a concern. The lads immediately knew something was wrong and waved the physio over straight away. The physio admitted it was scary.''
The club's chief executive Rob Heys said: ''He wasn't (conscious) initially but I think he did start to come round as time went by so that's a good sign.''
The 18-year-old defender, who is on a season-long loan from Colchester, was on a drip when he left Accrington's ground in an ambulance and was due to have a brain scan.
Heys said the game was abandoned because ''both sets of players were shaken up by the incident.''
