five minutes from the end of last night's International Youth Tournament match between Bermuda and Barbados.

Bermuda captain Marlon Dill cried out in pain as he fell awkwardly following the challenge with the visitors' Nigel Desrivieres.

Dill lay motionless for several minutes, while Desrivieres was left on the ground in agony clutching injured ribs. The St. John Ambulance crew in attendance drove their vehicle on to the far side of the field, where Dill had his neck placed in a brace before being carefully put on to a stretcher and loaded into the ambulance.

Desrivieres followed shortly afterwards after being put in a hammock stretcher. Dill's mother, Pat, who was running the canteen during the match at BAA Field, raced on to the pitch to comfort her injured son and accompanied him to the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital in the back of the ambulance.

A hospital spokeswoman said later Dill, who played an inspirational role as Bermuda gained a 1-1 draw, was released after a check-up. Desrivieres was undergoing tests and was said to be in a stable condition.

SOCCER SOC