Greenock Telegraph archives: Footballer taken to hospital

The teenager was playing in an under-17s Scottish Cup fixture between Helensburgh outfit Ardencaple against local team St Andrew’s Boys’ Club at Inverclyde Academy when he was struck in the face by the ball.

The youngster later became unwell in the dressing room and could not remember his name or where he was.

LAST WEEK'S FLASHBACK: Greenock got ready for QE2's final visit

He had to be taken to Inverclyde Royal while the match was halted before full time.

The youngster was kept in overnight at IRH before he was given the all-clear by doctors and discharged.

Elsewhere, hundreds of balloons were released into the sky by Greenock schoolchildren as a week of religious learning really took off.

Pupils at Aileymill Primary watched as 115 balloons floated off into the air at the school.

The sky-high spectacle was part of a special religious and moral education project at the Greenock school.

It saw pupils focus on different festivals — including Holi, a Hindu festival widely known as the festival of colour, and Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights.

Meanwhile, cruel thieves had stolen an expensive flatscreen television from a Greenock nursing home.

The culprits managed to sneak into the lounge at Merino Court Care Home in Drumfrochar Road through a window and left with the 42-inch TV.

Sickened staff at Merino have slammed those responsible.

Deputy manager Morag Hynes said at the time: “They came in through a window. They broke a latch to force the window open wide enough to take the television.

“I think it’s absolutely disgusting to steal from a care home where vulnerable people live. It’s despicable.”

In other news, campaigning mum Gillian Mowat had been nominated for a national charity award.

The Gourock woman who ran the Tele-backed Glow Gold childhood cancer campaign had been put forward as a charity champion at Westminster by MP Ronnie Cowan.

Mum-of-two Gillian launched the awareness-raising drive locally after her son Nathan, was diagnosed with leukaemia.

The pair inspired people all over Inverclyde to champion the cause and buildings were lit up in Nathan’s name throughout September.

In sport, Morton’s Kudus Oyenuga was edging closer to fitness after a painful shoulder injury left him with a bone sticking out of place.

The striker had missed the previous two fixtures against Dundee United and Raith Rovers with a shoulder problem, but he hoped to be back in action soon.

He had an eye on returning to the squad for their upcoming fixture, when the Ton were set to take on league leaders Queen of the South following the break for international fixtures, before a league cup semi final at Hampden against Aberdeen.