Tom Lockyer has reflected on his day of “mixed emotions” after being given the all clear following his heart scare during Luton’s Sky Bet Championship play-off final win over Coventry last month.
The 28-year-old defender fell to the floor early in the game and was subsequently taken to the Cleveland Clinic in London where he underwent an operation.
Lockyer is now planning a holiday before preparing for the Hatters’ new Premier League campaign having been assured by medical staff that there is no reason why he should suffer a repeat of the problem.
“I had an atrial fibrillation, which is basically the top part of my heart was beating four times faster than it should have been,” Lockyer told his club’s official website.
“There’s not really any reason to say why that happened, but I’ve had the operation to fix it and it shouldn’t happen again.
“I’ve been given the all clear, it is what it is and I just want to draw a line under it now and move on.”
Lockyer said he had few recollections of the incident, other than an over-riding emotion of sadness when he realised he would be unable to play any further part in the Wembley clash.
“It was a day of mixed emotions,” added Lockyer.
“It was crazy. All week I’d been visualising walking up those steps to that trophy and to end it in a hospital bed is not quite what I had in mind.
“I remember running backwards, and then I went really light-headed and my legs went really weak straight away. I remember stumbling back and then all I remember was (physio) Chris Phillips over the top of me, and he was saying, ‘Locks, you’re coming off’.
“I’m just really thankful that the lads were able to get the job done and we were able to complete our goal of getting promoted.
“It made those five days in hospital after a lot easier. I think if we had lost, those five days would have been horrendous, but they made it a lot smoother for me.”
Rusea’s remain undefeated to lead Zone B; Frome, STETHS, William Knibb secure big wins
Zone B action in the ISSA/WATA DaCosta Cup saw Rusea’s and Frome Technical both secure wins on Wednesday.
Former champions Rusea’s maintained their perfect record after five games with a 4-0 home win over Cambridge High while Frome secured a comfortable 7-0 win over Merlene Ottey to move to nine points from four games in second.
In Zone A, Cornwall College moved to 13 points from their five outings with a 2-0 win over St. James High at Jarrett Park. Irwin High are close behind them in second with 11 points from five games as well after their own 2-0 win over Maldon at home. Spot Valley and Green Pond played out a 1-1 draw in the zone’s other game.
In Zone C, William Knibb secured a massive 8-0 win over Discovery Bay while Browns Town beat Ferncourt 7-1. William Knibb are currently third in the Zone with nine points from five games, one behind York Castle and three behind zone leaders, Cedric Titus. York Castle lost 2-4 to Ocho Rios on Tuesday while Cedric Titus beat Aubuthnott Gallimore 10-2.
STETHS moved to 13 points from five games in Zone E after a massive 9-1 win over Sydney Pagon. Munro College trail the former champions by two points after securing a 7-0 win over Roger Clarke on Tuesday. Elsewhere in the zone, Lacovia and Maggotty played out a 1-1 draw.
In a pair of Zone I clashes, St, Mary High got the better of St. Mary Tech 3-2 while Wycliffe Martin High secured a 5-0 win over Carron Hall High. Wycliffe Martin and St. Mary High are currently fourth and fifth in the zone with seven and six points, respectively. Tacky High (13 points from five games), Annotto Bay (12 points from five games) and Horace Clarke (10 points from four games) occupy the top three spots.
Morant Bay High maintained their perfect record in Zone K after four games with a 4-2 win over Robert Lightbourne.
KC strengthen lead atop Group A; Mona, JC, Haile Selassie also secure wins
Kingston College now have five wins from as many games as action continued in the ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup on Wednesday.
KC, who initially opened their season with an 0-4 defeat to Hydel before that result was overturned to a 3-0 win after it was deemed that their opponents used an ineligible player, defeated Charlie Smith 1-0 to move to 15 points from their five outings, six points ahead of Calabar in second and nine ahead of Hydel in third. Charlie Smith also have six points in fourth.
Elsewhere in Group B, defending champions Jamaica College secured a 2-1 win over Kingston Technical to move to the top of the group with nine points from four games, two points ahead of Tivoli in second and three ahead of Kingston Technical in third.
Group C action saw Haile Selassie continue their winning ways, moving to 15 points from five games with a 1-0 win over Eltham. The other game in the group saw Dunoon Technical defeat Denham Town 3-2 for their first win of the season.
In Group E, Mona High hammered Edith Dalton 6-0 to move to five wins out of five.
Naparima and San Juan North win five on the trot in SSFL action in T&T
Naparima and San Juan North maintained their 100 per cent win records in Trinidad and Tobago’s Secondary Schools Football League Premiership Division on Wednesday. However, Fatima College lost their perfect record after they were held to a goalless draw by St Benedict’s College.
Naparima maintained their exemplary goal-scoring form when they blanked Malick Secondary 3-0. Those three goals took their tally in five matches this season to an impressive 32 goals while conceding only two.
The win took them to 15 points and sees them leading on goal-difference over San Juan North, who edged Arima North Secondary 1-0.
Meanwhile, Fatima College lost their perfect record when they were held to a 0-0 draw, a result that sees them fall two points behind Naparima and San Juan North.
St Anthony’s College picked up three valuable points following their 10-1 drubbing of Chaguanas North Secondary. They now have nine points and are fourth in the table, one point ahead of fifth-placed Presentation College, who were held at a 1-1 draw with Speyside High School, who are sixth on seven points.
Elsewhere, Trinity College East, who are next to bottom in the league table played to a 2-2 draw with bottom-placed Pleasantville Secondary. The schools have two and one point, respectively.
St Mary’s College earned their second win of the season after outscoring East Mucurapo Secondary 3-2 while Bishop’s High School had their first win after edging Queens Royal College 1-0.
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