JODY TRICK IS NO TREAT
NIGHTMARE DEBUT FOR SCOTS It’s agony for our girls as Taylor treble hits them for six in sorry start to campaign
ONLY in Scottish football can a team go all the way to Holland and find themselves a mountain to climb.
Scotland’s women were humiliated in the rarefied heights of European Championship football last night as England proved a class above in Utrecht.
Different sexes but it was the same old story for Scotland at major events as Anna Signeul’s squad were found wanting in key areas, not least defence.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, the team’s patron, looked on from the main stand of the Galgenwaard Stadion on her 47th birthday.
A group of Scotland fans even presented her with a cake before kick-off but by the end of this drubbing the thought of sharing a bath of blancmange with Boris Johnson on her big day must have sounded more appealing.
Euro favourites England are ranked fifth in the planet and finished third at the World Cup in 2015 while the Scots, listed at 21 by FIFA, were playing their first major tournament.
The gulf in class was exposed as Arsenal striker Jodie Taylor helped herself to a hat-trick before Auld Enemy coach Mark Sampson showed sympathy for the Scots by taking her off after an hour.
Birmingham midfielder Ellen White also scored and was replaced before Jordan Nobbs added a fifth. A header from Toni Duggan completed the drubbing late on.
The Scots must win against Portugal in Rotterdam on Sunday night if they hope to march into the last eight from Group D but on this evidence it looks a tall order.
The Scots can point to the absence through injury of Jen Beattie, Lizzie Arnot and Kim Little, arguably the one world-class player they possess. Hayley Lauder also missed out through injury but there was no excuse for the manner in which goals were conceded.
England earned the right to play out the last half hour like a training match but showed no mercy as Nobbs and Duggan added to the scoreline.
The game kicked off in balmy conditions in Utrecht and within 60 seconds of kick-off Man City striker Jane Ross tried a 30-yard shot which England keeper Karen Bardsley pushed over the bar.
Sadly, it was a declaration of intent on which the Scottish women could not follow through.
England full-back Lucy Bronze and Taylor combined down the right to set up Nobbs but Gemma SPAIN got their Euro 2017 campaign off to a winning start with first-half goals from Vicky Losada and Amanda Sampedro as they brushed Portugal aside.
The Spaniards were in charge throughout and took the lead after 23 minutes when Losada controlled a long pass from Andrea Pereira and fired home.
Portugal, who face Scotland next, just couldn’t get going and Spain ended the game as a contest when they doubled their Fay stopped her shot. However, the Scottish keeper, winning her 201st cap, could do little to stop England taking the lead on 10 minutes.
Nobbs sent a low pass through the middle of the Scottish defence to Taylor who raced through one on one with Fay and the Arsenal star slotted the ball home.
The Scots struggled to create a meaningful attack and the Auld lead three minutes before the break when Sampedro headed home.
Delighted Spain coach Jorge Vilda said: “We won’t be getting carried away by this result even if everyone else is.
“We play England next and they are one of the tournament favourites. It will be our most difficult game ever.
“We want a good result in that one so from tonight on we’re only thinking about that.” Enemy made it 2-0 in 26 minutes. A free-kick on the left caused mayhem in the Scottish box and the ball dropped to Taylor who hooked home from six yards.
Alex Scott then fired in a shot from 35 yards in 32 minutes which hit the bar and midfielder White reacted quickly to slide home the third from 12 yards.
Scotland started the second half brightly and Ross volleyed over but normal service was soon resumed as Taylor got her hat-trick.
A raking ball from skipper Steph Houghton was knocked on by White and Taylor lobbed Fay.
Scotland sub Lana Clelland then hit the side net but Fay soon had to block a shot from Duggan. Four minutes from time Dieke could only knock a cross from Karen Carney into the path of Nobbs who fired in from 16 yards.
The rout was complete in injury time as Duggan steered a header from a Nobbs corner past Fay.
SCOTLAND – Fay, Frankie Brown, Barsley, Dieke, Arthur, Corsie (Love 77), Crichton, Weir, Fiona Brown (Clelland 45), J Ross (Cuthbert 60), Evans. Subs not used: Lynn, Alexander, Murray, L Ross, Howard, Murray, McLauchlan, Smith.
ENGLAND – Bardsley, Bronze, Houghton, Bright, Stokes, Scott, Moore, Kirby (Parris 65), White (Carney 75), Taylor (Duggan 60), Nobbs. Subs not used: Chamberlain, Telford, Potter, Christiansen, Williams, Bassett, Greenwood, Scott. sort out Griffiths and all his nonsense. I’d like to know what happened to the fan who ran on to the pitch at Ibrox to confront Scott Brown and also the missiles thrown in that game.”
said: “Rival fans having a go at Griffiths are only jealous because he isn’t playing for them.”
said: “You didn’t have to be a professional lip reader to know the kind of abuse being directed at Griffiths in Belfast. But now he is being made out to be the villain for tying a scarf around a goalpost.” Linfield fans have history and
said: “Belfast Celtic’s Jimmy Jones had his leg broken by Linfield fans almost 70 years ago, that tells you all you need to know about them.”
emailed: “Having a season ticket doesn’t entitle you to abuse players and if you can’t take it back then don’t dish out it.”
said: “For any human being to turn to hatred and violence because some wind-up merchant ties a football scarf to a goalpost beggars belief.”
Across the Old Firm divide, Pedro Caixinha’s summer isn’t getting much better after Rangers went down to a pre-season friendly defeat to St Johnstone.
Coming on the back of their humiliating European exit, the Portuguese claimed there is no reason to panic ahead of Saturday’s friendly against Marseille.
But said: “People are saying Pedro’s future could be decided in the next 10 games. I give him three. We just sold our best player in Barrie McKay and we are selling much better players than he’s bringing in.
“This team looks a bigger shambles than it was at end of last season. Prove me wrong Pedro.” CALL THE HOTLINE TODAY FROM 11 TILL 12 NOON on: 0141 309 3306 or email us: hotline@dailyrecord.co.uk