A NEWPORT footballer was rushed to intensive care after rupturing his spleen during a game on Sunday.

Nicky Church, who is a goalkeeper with Cwmbran Celtic FC’s first team, was injured while playing in a Gwent FA Senior Cup game against Risca United.

Mr Church, 26, from Malpas, played on for a couple of minutes following a challenge by a Risca player.

His girlfriend Becky Willis said Mr Church then went to the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport in a lot of pain.

She said he felt faint following an x-ray and doctors realised there was something wrong.

Ms Willis said a CT scan found two grade three ruptures to his spleen.

She said he was taken to intensive care but has remained stable and so the spleen has not had to be removed.

Ms Willis said Mr Church was due to move out of intensive care at some point yesterday and will hopefully return home tomorrow.

Ms Willis said: “He’s doing really well.

“We just want him home now.”

She said he has been overwhelmed by the support and thanked everyone for their wellwishes.

Mr Church, who works at a WH Smith warehouse, has played for Cwmbran Celtic FC on and off for around six years and has previously played for Newport County AFC, Risca United and Caerleon.

Malcolm Jarrett, from Cwmbran Celtic, said: “He’s a really lovely lad and is committed to the club. He’s going to be a great loss for us while he’s off as he’s a really good goalkeeper. We’re going to miss him for the first half of the season.”

Astatement from Cwmbran Celtic said that the Risca player’s challenge was one which should have been punished according to the laws of the game, and added: “We believe that there was no intent on the part of the Risca player to cause serious injury to Nicky.”