ICE QUEEN RAC TOO HOT FOR SCOTS
ENGLAND brought out their very own ice queen to dismantle Scotland at the World
Cup.
Veteran shooter Rachel Dunn tucked away 49 goals as England ran out cosy winners in a clinical display.
At one point Dunn, not considered among the starting seven, converted 21 in a row as Scotland struggled to contain a shooter who can turn millimetres of space into an opportunity to score.
Dunn, 36, said she had “no idea” as to the kind of a run she was on, but could feel that everything in the game was going her way. “I had no idea it was 21-in-a-row,” she said. “I wasn’t paying any attention, it’s not like I keep a tally of those things. I was just taking every shot, going out there and trying to score and build a lead.
“I was aware that things were clicking for me. I knew I hadn’t missed many, but they are all team goals.”
Coach Tracey Neville was left unable to celebrate her shooter’s star performance after defender Layla Guscoth limped off in the first quarter with an ankle problem.
Neville ran from the stadium as soon as the final whistle sounded to check on Guscoth, 27, who had looked set to step into a starting role as the Roses ease towards the business end of the competition.
Keeper Geva Mentor shrugged off suggestions that the loss of Guscoth, tipped to start at wing defence, could hit England’s defensive capabilities.
“It’s unfortunate that she ran off injured,” Mentor said. “I think defensively, we will be fine but hopefully it’s not too serious.
“At the moment we’re using a lot of these games to keep people as fresh as possible, particularly leading into the pointy end of the tournament. That’s where things will change, but we’ve done a lot of work and our fitness is very high, so we’ll handle it.”
Scotland are ranked just one place below Uganda, beaten by England on Friday, but England’s performances in their two opening matches could not have differed more.
Whereas the Commonwealth champions laid down a marker against the African side, they dispatched Scotland with a coolness that was at times unnerving.
Helen Housby, a firm favourite with the crowd at the Liverpool’s M&S Bank arena, said: “We knew we had to bring our best game for Scotland but sometimes, when you do that, you produce spectacular netball.
England wrap up the first group stage against Samoa today. Group D rivals Samoa were beaten 69-48 by Uganda yesterday.