Teenager left with shocking facial injuries after being attacked at U15s fixture

A teenager has been left with shocking facial injuries after being attacked at an U15s fixture with graphic photos posted online.

He was punched by his opponent on January 14th at the Holy Trinity Sports Ground, Southport, just 10 minutes before a Craven Minor Football League match between Burscough Dynamo and Southport Trinity.

Lewis Fenwick, a 15 year old, suffered a fractured nose, broken eye socket and nerve damage when an opponent player allegedly hit him in the side.

EXCLUSIVE 🚨 | A teenage boy with hearing difficulties was left with horrific facial injures after allegedly being punched by an opponent during an U15s football match.https://t.co/LaB6L6CEDM

— Daily Star Sport (@DailyStar_Sport) February 16, 2023

Police were called after the match and launched an investigation. For three matches of violence, Lewis’ attacker was initially banned by the Lancashire FA. They are now investigating the matter and may take further action.

As you could expect, his mother Lucy, couldn’t believe by the incident and watched from the sidelines. She said her son’s alleged attacker should be “banned for ever” and compared him to a “thug on the street”.

She said: “I know he’s only 15 but if he’s big enough to do that and cause that damage to someone on a football pitch [then] he is no better than the thugs on the street.”

Lewis explained that he had walked over to speak to the referee after what he thought was a “bad tackle” on his team-mate.

“I went up to the ref to say it was a bad foul. This lad shouted ‘eff off’ and came up to me and said he would ‘chin me up’,” he said.

“I pushed him away and he came up with a forceful push. I looked away and he just hit me. I was in shock, I couldn’t feel anything, I couldn’t feel my body.

“I didn’t have a clue what was going on. I thought I had been headbutted at first.”

Following talks with a police family support officer, Lewis’ father Andy said it sounds like there would be few other consequences for his son’s alleged attacker.

Results of a cowardly unprovoked attack 1punch from behind 10mins in2 grassroots football match against @strinity1 u15 black 3 fractures to eye & leaving our son not wanting to play football again or leave the house. Already suffering with anxiety playing football makes him shine pic.twitter.com/YqiDSGQMCZ

— just some random man (@justsomeman83) January 15, 2023

He said: “He is pretty much an adult. We didn’t want him to go to jail, but if we don’t teach kids not to do something like that, you’re basically teaching them to do wrong.

“I couldn’t live with myself if we didn’t pursue this and then in a few years’ time hear about an incident where someone has been really badly injured or worse in Southport town centre and it turns out to be the same lad.”

Lewis adds: “I have never seen anything like that happen on a football pitch. I think I’ll be scared to play again if the ball goes near my face. I think he should be banned.”

A Merseyside Police spokesperson said: “We can confirm that officers are investigating following an assault at a youth football match in Southport.

“At around 10.30am on Saturday 14 January, officers attended the report of an assault of a 15-year-old boy by another boy following an altercation between football teams at a match at Holy Trinity Sports Ground in Roe Lane.

“The victim sustained a fractured eye socket and fractured nose, as well as nerve damage. The game was ended by the referee as a result and the investigation continues.

“Anyone with information can contact us @MerPolCC with reference 23000040735.”

This is the image of my grandson who after playing against Southport Trinity Black under 15s football team on Saturday was left with several fractures to his eye socket and nose . He may now require surgery after a “ player” from said team punched him whilst his back was turned. pic.twitter.com/jk0k4hqwXp

— Ann Eccleshare (@EccleshareAnn) January 15, 2023

Lewis was first taken to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and then to Ormskirk Hospital. He had a CT scan, several X-rays and was unable to play football until March.

Lucy said that her son is suffering from anxiety due to his hearing loss. She is now worried about its impact on him.

“Lewis didn’t want to come out of the house for the first five days,” she revealed. “Every time someone knocked on the door to come and see him he was in panic. He wanted to move, he said ‘I don’t want to be here, I want to move away, what if I see him again and I’m on my own?'”

Andy added: “I didn’t see it but I heard the noise of a punch. That fleshy sound. Two of our parents ran across and then I realised it was Lewis. He was walking with his hands on his head. His nose was bleeding and you could see the damage to his face already.”

A spokesman for Southport Trinity said they would put a statement(s) to Lancashire FA over claims their footballer was subject to verbal abuse prior to the incident. He said the player was banned from training with his team-mates for two weeks.

A spokesperson for Craven Minor Football League won’t comment due to the active police investigation with Lancashire FA saying the same.

Meanwhile, referees in four English grassroots leagues are to wear bodycams, in what the Football Association claim is the first such trial in the world.

This weekend’s trial will begin in Middlesbrough, before it is extended to Liverpool and Worcester.

Mark Bullingham, chief executive of FA, stated that he hopes it will have a positive impact on behavior towards officials.

A recent BBC survey found that hundreds of referees feared for their safety. See more on that HERE.

The International Football Association Board (Ifab) approved the trial. 100 officials will be wearing bodycams in the first three months of the trial. As needed, recordings will be made available for use in disciplinary hearings.

If the trial is successful, it will be extended to other grassroots leagues during 2023-24 season.

“Referees are the lifeblood of our game and we thank Ifab for its support in allowing us to undertake this new grassroots bodycam trial, the first of its nature globally,” added Bullingham.

“We have listened to feedback from the referee community, and we hope this trial will have a positive impact on the behaviour towards them – so that ultimately they can enjoy officiating in a safe and inclusive environment.”