Hendon match abandoned after Ethan Creary carried off on stretcher
A match between Hendon and Bedfont Sports was abandoned within 10 minutes after Hendon defender Ethan Creary was carried off on a stretcher and taken to hospital.
The game was Hendon's first since the death of their midfielder Ezekiel Williams. Williams was 26. He died in hospital on 2 November from head injuries after an incident in Milton Keynes. Two men have been charged with murder in connection with the case.
Before kick-off, players from both teams observed a minute's silence for Williams. Some stood with their heads bowed while the ground fell quiet, and the match then began as planned.
The fixture was in the Isthmian League South Central Division, a non-league competition. Non-league clubs sit below the professional leagues, and most of their players combine football with other jobs.
Hendon said early checks suggested Creary had suffered a double break to his collarbone, meaning the bone was broken in two places. The club also said he may have damaged a ligament in his shoulder, and that he had concussion. A concussion is a knock to the head that can affect how the brain works for a period afterwards. You can read the club's statement in BBC Sport's report.
Creary said he had to stay on a hospital ward for 24 hours. Doctors wanted to check for any potential bleed on the brain, a serious complication of a head injury that can sometimes develop over the hours after the knock.
Hendon's first match without Williams ended almost as soon as it had started. The two clubs had shared a moment of quiet together, and then the focus shifted to a teammate on a stretcher. Creary's injuries are being treated, and the wider inquiry into Williams's death continues through the courts.
