A HELENSBURGH youth footballer was taken to hospital as a precaution on Saturday after being struck on the head by the ball during a cup tie.

The boy was playing for Ardencaple YFC’s 2000s team in a match in Greenock against St Andrew’s BC.

Ardencaple’s chairman, Craig Holborn, told the Advertiser the boy’s parents had been contacted after the incident, and that he had been able to return home with them after a short stay in hospital for observation.

“Our player was struck on the head by the ball during the first half,” Mr Holborn said.

“He was showing no ill-effects, but when the coaches spoke to him at half time, they were a bit apprehensive that he might be slightly disoriented, although he was perfectly aware he was playing football.

“It became apparent that it would be safest all round to take him to hospital.

“We were losing heavily at the time. We started the match with only nine players, against a team from a higher league, and when the coaches decided to take him to hospital as a precaution, they agreed with the opposition coaches to abandon the game and concede the tie, rather than to continue with no coaches and only eight players.

“We, as a club, not only take the safety and well-being of our players most seriously indeed, but also go to extreme lengths to ensure that no-one is disadvantaged as a result of playing for us.”

As an example of the club's attitude towards its players, Mr Holborn said a fund-raising quiz night and raffle was being planned to help one of the club’s players, a college student, who suffered a double leg break in a match last month.