Lucas Akins: Mansfield player starts League One match despite admitting causing death of cyclist in crash
Lucas Akins started for Mansfield in their League One game against Wigan on Tuesday night just hours after admitting causing the death of a cyclist in a crash; Adrian Daniel died after being struck by Akins’ Mercedes G350 in Huddersfield in March 2022; Akins will be sentenced on April 24
Mansfield Town have refused to comment on Lucas Akins’ ongoing availability after he started their League One match against Wigan Athletic on Tuesday night, just hours after admitting causing the death of a cyclist in a crash.
Adrian Daniel, 33, died 10 days after being struck by Akins’ Mercedes G350 in Huddersfield in March 2022.
Forward Akins, 36, pleaded guilty to a charge of causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving during a hearing at Leeds Crown Court on Tuesday.
Akins, who will be sentenced at the same court on April 24, then played the first half of Mansfield’s 0-0 draw against Wigan on Tuesday night.
When asked if it was a difficult decision to select Akins, Mansfield manager Nigel Clough told BBC Radio Nottingham: “We can’t comment on it I’m afraid.
“We’ve known about it for some time. It’s not just happened but we’re not in a position to comment.”
Posh are currently 17th after a run of two wins and two draws in their last four matches, but today they have the toughest game of all the relegation contenders at home to second-placed Wycombe Wanderers at the Weston Homes Stadium. A Posh win and defeats for managerless Wigan, who are at home to struggling Cambridge United, and out-of-form Mansfield Town, who are away at Stevenage would move Darren Ferguson’s side up to 15th.
However a defeat and it’s possible Northampton Town (away to Orient), Exeter City (home to Shrewsbury) and Bristol Rovers (home to Huddersfield) would all overtake Posh.
