Brighouse game off after tragedy

Brighouse Town have called off Saturday's home game against Colne in the wake on Monday's tragedy at their Hove Edge ground.

Shaw Lane centre-back Daniel Wilkinson collapsed during the Doodson Integro League Cup clash and frantic efforts to save him were unsuccessful. The Barnsley side were leading 2-0 at the time.

The Evo-Stik NPL have sanctioned the postponement of the Colne match but Town’s home game with Hyde United will go-ahead as planned on Monday (7.45).

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Shaw Lane, who play in a parallel section to Brighouse in the Evo-Stik NPL, are expected to call off their home game with Romulus this weekend.

There was a minute’s silence observed at League Cup preliminary round ties on the Tuesday night and the league’s Premier Division League games.

There will be a minute’s silence at other games on Saturday and Town and Hyde will do the same on Monday.

Family and friends of Wilkinson have visited Town’s ground to lay flowers in the penalty box where the former Hull City and Scarborough Athletic player collapsed.

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Brighouse vice-chairman Darren Laycock joined them to lay a basket of flowers and offer his club’s sincere condolences.

Home manager Paul Quinn and physio Matthew Schofield worked flat out alongside the Shaw Lane staff to give CPR while the club’s defibrillator was engaged within 90 seconds.

“Paul and Matthew continued to assist when the two responder units arrived quickly at the stadium ahead of the ambulance,” said Laycock.

“Everybody was willing Daniel to pull round and when there were signs he was responding you could hear his players saying ‘come on Dan’.”

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Laycock said it had been a distressing time for everyone at the ground.

”People were obviously visibly moved and praying as Daniel was lifted into the ambulance to be taken to Calderdale Royal.”

Nobody was near Wilkinson at the time of his suspected heart attack.

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