Reality bites for Shelley

NORWAY gave Scotland a reality check in La Manga with a fully deserved 3-0 victory which brought to an end Shelley Kerr’s opening run of three wins as head coach.

Two goals in the first half and a third early in the second were a fair measure of the Norwegians’ superiority.

“They showed their strength and physical power and we didn’t compete well enough,” Kerr admitted. “We got off to a really good start but overall they cut us apart in the centre of the pitch and it’s something we didn’t deal with very well.

“It always hurts when you lose but we had key objectives for this week and there were some positives from playing a tough opponent. We’ll take that away and also address the other side of the game where we haven’t done so well and work on that.”

The first half started well for the Scots, who were the more threatening side, with Claire Emslie delivering into the Norway box – but it didn’t last.

Striker Isabell Herlovsen put Norway into the lead in 12 minutes, picking up a Jen Beattie block to send a crisp low shot past Lee Alexander from 16 yards.

Norway’s best players were running at the Scotland defence all too easily, while the best Kerr’s side could do was a low cross from Lisa Evans which Jane Ross just failed to convert.

One of the Norwegians’ biggest threats, Caroline Graham Hansen, came close with two fierce shots over Alexander’s crossbar, while the Glasgow City keeper made a great save to deny Guro Ruelin. From the corner, right back Frankie Brown came to the rescue with a goal-line clearance.

A second Norwegian goal was almost inevitable and it arrived on the half hour. Again it was Herlovsen, who made up for a really bad miss 60 seconds earlier when she tapped the ball into Alexander’s hands from two yards.

The Scots went three down six minutes into the second half. Beattie sliced a clearance over her own bar and from the corner Maria Thorsdottir powered a header in off a post.

That killed the game off and there was no further damage as Kerr brought all six subs on, including a Scotland debut for Hibs goalie Jenna Fife.