Late anguish for Scots U16s

Scotland Under-16s lost 1-0 to England last night at Burton 
Albion’s Pirelli Stadium and failed to earn a share of the Sky Sports Victory Shield, but they can hold their young heads high after a disciplined performance.

Mark Wotte’s side needed a win to secure joint custody of the Shield with their hosts, for the first time since 2004, and they almost got it in the first minute of injury-time.

Substitute Joe Thomson flung himself at a cross only for the legs of English goalkeeper Ryan Huddart to keep the ball out. To rub salt into Scottish wounds, England broke and substitute Giorgio Rasulo shot home from five yards after a scramble.

England’s Joshua Onomah had a header deflected wide before he missed an even better chance. Right on half-time Michael Kelly kicked an effort from Patrick Roberts off the line before Kelly almost gave the Scots the lead in the second-half with a low curling free-kick that was saved by Huddart.

Scotland: McCrorie (Rangers), Wardrop (Celtic), Hodge (Kilmarnock), Breslin (Celtic), Kelly (Aberdeen), Caird (Celtic), Miller (Celtic) (Thompson (Celtic)72), Petrie (Aberdeen), Lafferty (Celtic) (Hardie (Rangers) 63), Boyd (Celtic) (Nesbitt (Celtic) 63), Kiltie (Kilmarnock) (Spence (Crystal Palace) 41) Subs not used: Cullen (Celtic), McIlduff (Celtic), Scott (Hearts).