Hammer’s dream broken

A horror tackle broke more than Jahkeylo Burgess’s right leg on Thursday, it also left his West Ham dream in tatters.

Burgess, from Bermuda, had been due to attend trials at West Ham next month, but is now facing up to six months on the sidelines.

He clashed during the senior boys Bermuda Schools Federation Knockout final at National Stadium, which Burgess’s CedaBridge Academy side won 2-1.  His cousin Edry Moore, who was playing for Berkeley Institute, jumped two-footed into the tackle, snapping his cousins leg in two places.

Speaking from his hospital bed yesterday, Burgess told the Royal Gazzette that he has yet to notify West Ham about his injury, and remains hopeful that he can still go through with trials with them, after he recovers from the injury.

“It was a 50-50 challenge and he slid and he didn’t touch the ball,” Burgess said. “He caught my leg with a two-footed tackle with studs up and all, and no foul was called or nothing.

“At first I just thought it was a little knock, but I couldn’t get up so I knew it had to be serious. It was a clean break to both bones in my lower right leg. It was extremely painful, and making matters worse I had trials in January with West Ham United in England.”

Moore escaped a booking for the dangerous tackle, let alone being sent off, but opted to be substituted shortly after Burgess.

“He is my little cousin and told me that he didn’t mean it,” Burgess said. “He was trying to get the ball in a tackle and it was unfortunate. He called me and plans to visit me in hospital.”

“A couple of my team-mates came to the hospital to see me afterwards and told me they won for me,” Burgess said. “They even had a prayer for me in school today.”