National League match SUSPENDED after ‘HORRIFIC’ tackle saw a player rushed to hospital with a stomach-turning broken leg… with fans calling for the offender to ‘never set foot on a pitch again’
- A player has been taken to hospital after a hard slide stopped the match
- Greg Olley is in a stable condition and will undergo surgery after the terrible blow
- LISTEN NOW: It’s all about to begin!available wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes every Monday and Thursday
The ‘worst tackle’ some fans have ever seen resulted in a player being taken to hospital with a broken leg and a National League game being stopped on Saturday.
Supporters want Woking’s Dion Kelly-Evans banned for life after his appalling sliding tackle left Gateshead’s Greg Olley lying on the pitch.
Kelly-Evans was shown a red card and ambulances were sent to the pitch. Less than 15 minutes into the match, the players clashed and there were fears for Olley’s health.
Gateshead later confirmed that Olley was in a ‘stable condition’ and announced that he would undergo surgery on Sunday. They went on to win 2-0 after the match restarted after 40 minutes.
‘Kelly-Evans should never set foot on a pitch again. No sympathy for Olley whatsoever,’ wrote one fan on X, formerly Twitter.
A ‘horrific’ tackle left Greg Olley in hospital, forcing Gateshead’s trip to Woking to be postponed
Gateshead’s stars started with Dion Kelly-Evans and later took revenge with a 2-0 win
“That’s the worst tackle I’ve ever seen,” someone said.
“Man, that’s horrible. There definitely needs to be longer suspensions for tackles like this,” another commented.
“Absolute scumbag. Thinking of Greg and the Gateshead boys tonight,” said one.
“Terrible challenge, and at worst he’ll only get a 4-5 game ban,” another fan speculated. A straight red card leads to an automatic three-game ban, but players can be punished for longer.
One fan had a more sympathetic view of Kelly-Evans, writing: ‘Personally I feel bad for Olley but I think it was just bad luck that his leg got planted! Yeah bad challenge but I don’t think the lad had it in his head to do any damage! I hope Olley is back and back to his best soon!! Speedy recovery mate!’
‘I understand the Gateshead fans are unhappy with Kelly Evans and it was a bad tackle but he’s a good guy and I know he’ll be angry,’ said another.
Fans gave Olley a standing ovation after he suffered the injury.
Several Gateshead players began rowing with Kelly-Evans, pushing him around as their teammate lay on the grass receiving medical attention.
Greg Olley (left) is the captain of Gateshead and won the FA Vase with the club last season
Woking fans believe Dion Kelly-Evans, pictured with Notts County, is set to apologise
A message Olley’s father passed on to local reporter Mark Carruthers said he was “in good spirits” and “grateful” for the messages he was receiving.
Kenton Richardson and Mark Benk scored to ensure Gateshead took three points and moved top of the National League table with two wins from two games.
“We’re in uncharted territory here so we’ve just got to get around Greg, make sure he’s OK and give him the best support,” manager and former Newcastle goalkeeper Rob Elliott said after the game.
‘I’m absolutely devastated and heartbroken because there’s no need for it to happen in that situation.
“We just have to be there for Greggy, support him and then we’ll see.”
Olley, 28, is the club captain of Gateshead and won the FA Trophy last season, helping them to the National League play-offs. He has been at the club since 2018 after joining from Hull.