Wigan Athletic’s pre-season friendly at Mill Farm ended prematurely on Saturday after trialist Nico Lawrence sustained a serious-looking leg injury and was stretchered from the field before being taken to hospital.
Incident brought match to a halt
The 22-year-old defender, who had come on as a second-half substitute, went down in the 80th minute. Medical staff from both clubs and ambulance crews were on the pitch quickly; in light of the situation the referee and managers agreed the sensible course was to end the fixture.
“Horrendous - I think everyone in the stadium saw it straight away,” Caldwell said, praising the prompt response of the medical teams and the decision to finish the game.
Afterward, Wigan Athletic head coach Gary Caldwell expressed his concern and confirmed the player had been taken to hospital for further assessment. Caldwell acknowledged Lawrence had been involved in almost all of the Latics’ pre-season work and said the club would support him through the aftermath of the injury, particularly given his trialist status and recent period without a club.
Club response and wider context
Caldwell publicly commended the medical and ambulance teams for their quick work and also paid tribute to AFC Fylde’s staff and their manager, who backed the decision to end the contest so attention could be focused on the injured player. The head coach described the incident as a freak occurrence, adding that nobody had made contact with Lawrence at the time.
- Match: AFC Fylde v Wigan Athletic (pre-season friendly)
- Score at time of abandonment: Wigan Athletic 3–0 AFC Fylde
- Minute of injury: 80th
- Player affected: Nico Lawrence, trialist defender, 22
- Immediate action: Stretchered off and taken to hospital
The club will refrain from further comment until medical assessments are complete. Caldwell’s remarks also underlined the precarious position trialists can face when injured, and he reassured that the squad and club would provide support to Lawrence during his recovery.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Fixture | AFC Fylde v Wigan Athletic (pre-season) |
| Incident | Serious-looking leg injury to Nico Lawrence |
| Action taken | Stretchered off; ambulance; taken to hospital |
| Match outcome | Match abandoned |
Further updates are expected once the club receives medical information and confirms Lawrence’s condition. For supporters and local followers, the club’s immediate focus is the player’s welfare and ensuring he receives appropriate care.
