Liam Ravenhill's challenge on Bradford City's Emmanuel Osadebe was not 'intentional', insists Doncaster Rovers boss Gary McSheffrey

DONCASTER ROVERS boss Gary McSheffrey insists that Liam Ravenhill's sixth-minute challenge on Bradford City player Emmanuel Osadebe - which saw the City debutant suffer a double leg fracture - was not malicious or intentional during a controversial derby stalemate at the University of Bradford Stadium

The heavy challenge from Ravenhill - son of former Rovers and City midfielder Ricky - resulted in a lengthy eight-minute stoppage time amid very worrying scenes as a stretcher was called for and Osadebe was attended to by medics.

Some team-mates, including Romoney Crichlow, looked visibly distressed.

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Osadebe was taken to hospital and it has been confirmed that he has suffered a double leg break. with Ravenhill receiving a yellow card and not a red from Robert Madden, making his ‘debut’ south of the border after his time officiating in his native Scotland.

Doncaster Rovers boss Gary McSheffrey encourages his side in their opening game at Bradford City. Picture: Bruce Rollinson.Doncaster Rovers boss Gary McSheffrey encourages his side in their opening game at Bradford City. Picture: Bruce Rollinson.
Doncaster Rovers boss Gary McSheffrey encourages his side in their opening game at Bradford City. Picture: Bruce Rollinson.

Madden did show a red card in the fifth minute of stoppage-time when Lee Tomlin, receiving two cautions for a couple of bouts of needless petulance.

Tomlin stopped a free-kick being taken quickly and was cautioned after the ball was kicked away. He then threatically reacted to the gentlest of nudges from Ryan East and was shown his marching orders

McSheffrey said: “Condolences to Osadebe with the injury. I don’t think anything was intentional – it’s a freak one.

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“It obviously stopped the game for a while and I had to then make a substitution with Ravs because they would have been after him, the ref would have been after him. It was a tactical change to keep 11 on the pitch.

“And then we go and lose a man, Tommo. It was stupid petulance.

“We’ve made the crowd a bit angry and can see that we were frustrating them. We’ve always got a threat on the counter with our pace but the two yellow cards within 30 seconds were really silly.

“That gave us another challenge. We’ve been faced with so many this week with players missing with injuries and then Tommy Rowe jarred his neck and couldn’t get out of bed.

“We had to make it ugly and I make no apologies for that. We had two opportunities to nick it but we’ve rode our luck and everyone’s put a great shift in.”

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