COMPASSION PUTS CRUELTY IN SHADE

Response to Lockyer proof football still has humanity

- Graham Thomas

PHILIP BILLING was the first to react.

The Bournemouth substitute was already frantically waving his arms in the direction of the dugouts as he ran, even before he had crouched down over his fallen opponent, Tom Lockyer, laying prone on the turf.

Billing's team-mate Dominic Solanke joined him, then Lockyer's fellow Luton players as medical staff and Hatters manager Rob Edwards all rushed on to the field.

What unfolded over the next half an hour was one of those queasy emotional roller-coasters, familiar to anyone unfortunate enough to to witness life-threatening incidents play out in front of them.

Shock, nauseous apprehension and fear sense of - followed by an uplifting shared concern and compassion.