Golf: Scots put up a fight but lose out to England

SCOTLAND staged a gallant fight-back in the singles, but it wasn't quite enough to prevent England from claiming a 5-4 win in the Girls' golf Home Internationals over Gullane No 2 yesterday.

It means the home side must beat Wales today to avoid the wooden spoon.

With torrential rain making conditions far from pleasant, England staged a clean sweep in the three morning foursomes. But the side that has won the Stroyan Cup for the past three years had a far tougher battle in the six singles.

The result eventually hinged on the final match on the course between North Berwick's 14-year-old Clara Young and Alexandra Peters, and the East Lothian county champion needed to win a full point to earn an unlikely draw.

One down after ten holes, Young, the youngest member of the Scottish team, clawed her way back to stand one up with two to play, but she lost the 18th to a great three-foot birdie from the more experienced Notts Ladies player and the match ended 5-4 in England's favour.

Earlier, Kilmacolm's Eilidh Briggs, the Scottish Girls' Champion, set the afternoon drama in motion by celebrating a 3 and 1 victory in the top match against her English counterpart, Hayley Davis, and Elderslie's Alyson McKechin added another point with a gutsy final green win over Georgia Hall.

With Carnoustie's Ailsa Summers completing a 2 and 1 win over Elizabeth Mallet and Gullane's Lesley Atkins dropping her point by 4 and 3 to Bronte Law the scene was then set for the Young and Peters tussle.

In the other match, the outcome rested on the final singles and Chloe Ryan was the toast of Ireland as she claimed a 3 and 2 win over Jessica Evans to clinch a 5-4 win.