WARNING GRAPHIC PICTURE CONTENT

Evo-Stik Southern Premier

Cirencester Town 1

Kings Lynn 1

CIRENCESTER TOWN got another valuable point in their bid for Southern Premier survival in a game that was marred by a nasty injury to Kings Lynn striker Ryan Hawkins.

The Linnets No.9 was first stretchered off with a seven-inch gash to the leg that fellow players understandably thought he had broken.

The game was suspended while an air ambulance landed on the Corinium Stadium pitch but after Hawkins was attended by the paramedics he was transferred to Cheltenham Hospital by more conventional means.

The game then restarted with 19 minutes to be played.

Cirencester had made a fine start with a headed goal from Gethin Jones in the 11th minute which was cancelled out by a Shaun McWilliams strike after a brilliant Kings Lynn counter attack in the 27th minute.

The Linnets then put Ciren under enormous pressure but the hosts survived and held their own in the second half, indeed they had the best second half chances to win it, especially when Alex Street made a brilliant one-handed save from Dan Demkiv a minute from time.

The game ended 2hr 20min after it started.

Speaking from his bedside at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, where he underwent surgery on Sunday, Hawkins told the Lynn News website: "This isn’t a setback, it’s just one of those things. I will work hard in my rehab and come back a better, stronger and improved player.

“Letting the injury heal will be a big impact and I don’t want to rush back and cause any more harm."

Hawkins is expected to miss the remainder of the season.