Burleigh captain Matt Hilton taken to hospital as Bulldogs beat Surfers in Premier League grand final
THE loss of captain Matt Hilton to a possible broken jaw could not stop a rampant Burleigh Heads from taking out the Gold Coast Premier League grand final against Surfers Paradise tonight.
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THE loss of captain Matt Hilton to a possible broken jaw could not stop a rampant Burleigh Heads from taking out the Gold Coast Premier League grand final against Surfers Paradise tonight.
Hoping to add grand final success to their championship victory, the Bulldogs prevailed 3-0 after Hilton was rushed to hospital early in the second half.
The veteran striker had opened the scoring in the 14th minute but his night came to a horror end shortly after halftime when he fell into the knee of Surfers goalkeeper Tim Warren.
The incident, which may have broken Hilton’s jaw and knocked out some teeth, caused a half-hour delay to the game.
Burleigh were awarded a penalty for the collision, with Reece Hills converting to secure a 2-0 lead.
David Mutch then made it 3-0 midway through the second half to put the result beyond doubt.
To add insult to injury, Surfers’ Matt Harris was given a straight red card in the dying stages following a mid-pitch scuffle.
EARLIER
One of the Gold Coast Premier League’s biggest names has been rushed to hospital with a suspected broken jaw following a sickening collision in tonight’s grand final between Burleigh Heads and Surfers Paradise.
Having given Burleigh a 1-0 lead in the 14th minute, captain Matt Hilton was taken away in an ambulance in the second half after falling headfirst into the knee of Surfers goalkeeper Tim Warren.
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Chasing a loose ball, Hilton was bumped by a Surfers defender just inside the penalty box and fell heavily into Warren, who dived on the ball.
The incident, which occurred 10 minutes in the second half and has caused a half-hour delay, is believed to have broken Hilton’s jaw and possibly knocked out some teeth.
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Burleigh were awarded a penalty for the incident, with Reece Hills converting to secure a 2-0 lead with about 30 minutes to play.
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