‘Sickening’ head clash in football match

Auckland City chairman Ivan Vuksich doesn’t ‘‘want to hear a crack like that again.’’

The team’s ISPS Handa Premiership game against Tasman United was delayed by almost an hour after a 74thminute head clash between forward David Browne and Tasman goalkeeper Corey Wilson. Both stayed down for an extended period of time until ambulance staff could arrive, having collided on the edge of the Tasman penalty area.

Browne was chasing a through ball when Wilson came off his line when, after realising he was probably beyond the box and couldn’t punch the ball, the goalkeeper attempted to head it.

‘‘And whack. What a hell of a crack. It was a sickening crack. I don’t want to hear a crack like that again,’’ Vuksich told Stuff.

‘‘Both boys were semiconscious, both motionless for half an hour until the ambulance came.

‘‘Not a nice scene, we’re just hoping here for the best.’’

The players were eventually taken to hospital, after a 50-minute delay to the match, and by Sunday night were said to be sitting up in bed and talking.

Browne had earlier scored Auckland’s second goal in the 50th minute to complement Javier Lopez’s brace.

The final 20 minutes were played out without incident.

In Christchurch, Canterbury United edged Southern United 1-0 thanks to a first-half goal from Sean Liddicoat.