Wycombe boss Matt Bloomfield confirms duo hospitalised with serious injuries

Posted Sunday, November 12, 2023 by PA

A visibly distressed Matt Bloomfield was left disgusted after his Wycombe side lost a fraught encounter with Stevenage 1-0.

Luke Leahy and Brandon Hanlan were both taken to hospital with serious injuries sustained during a much-delayed game at Adams Park.

Fourteen minutes were added on in the first half after Hanlan injured his knee in an aerial challenge with Boro captain Carl Piergianni.

Leahy was stretchered off after several minutes of medical attention late in the second half, with the club confirming that the midfielder was conscious and undergoing treatment.

“Both Brandon Hanlan and Luke Leahy have gone to hospital,” Bloomfield said.

“It was a really scary moment when he (Leahy) went down. He was unresponsive, and a couple of their players told me that he might have been having something serious happening.

“He was unresponsive for a while and our doctor was extremely concerned for Luke.

“We were instructing our players to get ready, the ref came over to speak to us as he understood the severity of the situation more than I did.

“I’ve been told that I’ve been accused of trying to get the game called off, but I can categorically deny that 100 per cent. At no point was I trying to do that.”

Jamie Reid scored the only goal of the game in the 14th minute of first-half stoppage time, stabbing home a low cross from Kane Hemmings.

The final whistle was eventually blown in the 26th minute of time added on, with some confusion over whether the game would continue.

Bloomfield added: “I was trying to understand the severity of the situation, so I went onto the pitch to see Luke and I asked ‘how is the player doing?’

“At no point did I try and get the game called off or put pressure on the referee. I gave the ref honest feedback.

“I’m angry and disgusted by what has happened today.”

Boro manager Steve Evans defended his side’s physical nature, and the game’s continuation, as Stevenage picked up a crucial three points to stay in the play-off places.

He said: “We are known for our fight, aggression and energy and I told the referee at the end that it was a tough game for him to manage.

“There was a lot going on and when there were discussions about whether the game should continue, I told my players to not get involved.

“And it was the right call as we’d be calling off games every Saturday if players went down with a head knock, however, I’ll be messaging Matty later tonight to see how Luke is doing.

“We were told that Wycombe wanted the game to be abandoned. It’s 1-0 with eight minutes to go and they want the game stopped.

“If you had what happened at Leyton Orient a few weeks back with people fighting for their lives and having fatalities, then one million per cent it should be off.

“I instructed my staff and players to stay away and be respectful to the match officials.”