Drama At Bedford Overshadows Result

After a depleted MK Wolves side battled bravely at Bedford in the Cup semi-final last weekend, MK made their second trip to Putnoe Woods in a week, this time for the League encounter.

Weather conditions certainly weren't as favourable as the previous week, and the warm-up was further hampered by a 40-minute delay to kick-off while both teams waited for the referee to arrive.

Once he had arrived, Bedford kicked off and within 5 minutes had scored, with MK Touch Rugby League regular Alessandro Parias crossing for the Tigers. MK countered, and looked odds on to score, but on the 5th tackle coughed up possession to Bedford, who broke away with the interception to score an 80-metre try.

Bedford scored a third before MK got on the board, with last week's hat-trick hero Kai Muroi scoring a try. MK missed the conversion to make the score 18-4.

Then came the game-changing incident. As play was stopped while a Bedford player received treatment, MK's popular player-coach Abe Kerr fell to the floor. He was helped to the sidelines, but there was enough concern over his wellbeing to call for emergency help.

Bedfordshire's paramedics arrived quickly and assessed the patient, but were concerned enough to summon the air ambulance from Cambridge.

Clearly distracted, MK's minds were no longer on the game, and despite Kai Muroi darting over again for a converted try, MK left the field at half-time 30-10 down.

With the air ambulance arriving, both sets of players's hearts weren't really in the game, and while Bedford scored another couple of tries in the second half to round the game off at 48-10, foremost in everyone's minds was the wellbeing of Abe, still receiving treatment pitch side.

Thankfully, the medics were able to treat him and subsequently have him taken to Bedford Hospital, where he underwent a series of tests, and was found to have suffered a concussion.

Speaking from his hospital bed, Abe said: "I had a couple of bangs early in the game and thought nothing of it. Then suddenly, with no-one around me, started to feel woozy, and don't remember much after that.

"I'm immensely grateful to the East of England Ambulance Service and the East Anglian Air Ambulance for acting so quickly, and to all the MK Wolves and Bedford Tigers for their concern".

Club chairman Andrew Quirke said: "Abe is a popular and influential key member of MK Wolves, and it was worrying for us all to see him fall down like that, but also to see him receiving treatment pitch side.

"While a concussion is certainly serious, thankfully it was nothing more concerning and it looks like he'll be OK. And that is far more important to all of us than today's result.

"Huge thanks to all at the game, and the emergency services, for their swift response".