2018 World Cup - Senior Grand Masters (Over 70)

Thursday 21 June

Germany 5 South Africa 0
Australia 6 Italy 0
17:45 Argentina 0 Scotland 5

Scotland 5 (Ballingall, McIntosh 2, Crichton, Bain) Argentina 0

Scotland began their campaign against a completely unknown quantity in Argentina, a side with no experience of international hockey at Over 70 level. The expectation was that Argentina would have some good stick players who had played at a high level but would probably not be able to compete on fitness with Scotland. Scotland began the match on the front foot, taking the game to their opponennts, but were unable to create many opportunities to open the scoring. The Argentine attacking strategy was based on firing long balls towards their skilful centre forward but he had to lead off towards the ball well outside the Scotland 23 and the Scottish defence had little trouble in containing the sporadic attacks. Scotland won two short corners, Roy Crichton's direct shot from the first being easily saved by the Argentine keeper. Alan Bryce stepped up for the second corner, slipping the ball left to David Ballingall who calmly fired it into the net to put Scotland one up, the score at half time.

Argentina came out on the offensive at the start of the second half, pushing into the Scottish circle and winning a number of penalty corners, though the Scots did not always agreed with the umpire's decisions. Nigel Dixon in the Scottish goal went from being a spectator to an active participant and played a major part in keeping Argentina from equalising. The effort seemed to take it out of Argentina and they lost a second goal when Doug Morrice, one and one on the opposing keeper, slipped the ball left for David McIntosh to put Scotland two up and in the driving seat. Roy Crichton then had one of his trademark runs into the circle, finishing by netting a third for Scotland. A strong run down the left by Alan Bain and a cut back to David McIntosh gave Scotland a fourth goal, and with the opposition visibly tiring, Alan Bain put the cherry on the cake by slamming the ball into the net from wide on the right of the circle.

The result was one thing but the manner of Scotland's victory was impressive. It seemed that all the hard work in training had paid off and the team played with a confidence which has been growing but has never reached the level it did in this World Cup match. Players were playing with heads up, players off the ball moving into good positions to receive the pass, and the team played as a team, each member doing his job and supporting his team mates. While the standard of the opposition in the next two matches (Australia and Germany) can be expected to be much higher than Scotland encountered in this match, the team is capable of putting in a good display against these sides. The next two days will tell all ...

Friday 22 June

Germany 6 Italy 0
Argentina 0 South Africa 1
Australia 8 Scotland 0

Australia 8 Scotland 0

It did not take long for the confidence built up by the first day performance to evaporate, and the Scottish performance in the first half of this match was a pale shadow of their play against Argentina. Australia took the game by the scruff of the neck, giving the Scottish five man midfield no time on the ball and constantly pushing forward in support of their mobile front men. Two goals down after the first quarter, Scotland failed to use the short quarter break to change a system which was clearly not working, and Australia took full advantage to rain in five goals in the second quarter. Whether Australia decided enough was enough, or Scotland heeded the wise counsel of coach Murray Paton, the second half was a relatively quiet affair. The Scots stopped chasing the ball and started to keep their shape and suddenly Australia found it much more difficult to penetrate the Scottish midfield, and their chances dried up. Still, they were a threat to the Scottish defence and only a sharp hand from Scottish keeper Nigel Dixon kept a looping ball finding the top corner of the net. A goalless third quarter gave Scotland some encouragement but with a lone forward they made little impression on the Australian defence. One more goal in the final quarter made it eight for Australia, then a bizarre incident led them to go down to nine men. First a horrendous swing intended for David McIntosh was evaded by the Scot and his aggressor clattered his own player. The yellow card was more than deserved even though it was Australian to Australian. As the miscreant left the field, an Australian substitute came on to take his place and, after some confusion, the Australian captain was sent off because his side had too many players on the park. Instead of pressing forward to take advantage of their numerical superiority, Scotland passed the ball about in midfield and failed to press their opponents, and the opportunity to take something out of the match was lost. In the end, 8-0 was a fair reflection of the gulf between the two sides, but Scotland should reflect on their ability to put in an. improved performance in the second half against clearly far superior opposition. Germany next - not an easy task.

Saturday 23 June

14:30 Pitch 2 Argentina v Australia
17:45 Pitch 1 Italy v South Africa
Germany 7 Scotland 1

Three matches in three days proved too much for Scotland, who went behind to two early German goals and played second fiddle to a strong Germany side for most of the rest of the match. The German tactics of firing the ball through the Scottish midfield for the German forwards leading off towards their midfielders had the Scottish defence tied in knots. Stand in coach Mike McInally re-jigged the Scottish formation in the second half, changing from a back four to a back three with Alan Bryce moving from sweeper to deep lying central midfield to cut off the route to the German strikers. This made a big difference to the game, Scotland coming more and more into it, but slick German short corner routines resulted in more goals against. Scotland did not give up and started to mount a series of attacks, with Roy Crichton prominent. They won a number of penalty corners and, right on the final hooter, Alan Bryce netted from their last short corner.

Scotland should not be too downcast at being beaten by a very good German side. Arguably, their most difficult matches are now behind them, but they will need to recover their best form for the remaining pool matches against Italy and South Africa if they are to finish third in the pool.

Monday 25 June

Germany 4 Argentina 0
Australia 6 South Africa 0
Scotland 2 Italy 1

Scotland 2 (Downie, McIntosh) Italy 1

This was a crucial match for Scotland as a win would guarantee them at least fourth place in the pool and a berth in the 5-8 play offs. Wins for Germany and Australia in the two preceding matches of the fifth day had given both sides maximum points from the first four matches, ending Scotland's faint hopes of making the semi finals. The plan was to move the ball around and work the opposition, and for the first quarter that was exactly what the Scots did. From their first penalty corner, Alan Bryce's shot was saved by the Italian keeper at full stretch but rebounded straight to injector Ian Downie who had the simplest of tasks to roll the ball into the empty net and give Scotland the lead. A good move upfield found David McIntosh on his own in the right hand side of the Italian circle and his powerful shot caught the keeper unaware and rattled into the backboard. Scotland never seem to do things the easy way and this match was no exception. Instead of continuing to play passing hockey, retaining the ball and working for team mates. Players started to run the ball at the opposition or tried to force the ball into the circle with no particular target in mind, a gift the solid Italian defence accepted with grateful thanks. Worse was to follow when sweeper Alan Bryce, with no opponent near him, mis-trapped a long Italian ball and it hit his foot. The umpire blew for a free hit to Italy and, with the ball still moving, the Italian striker ran the ball forward, rounded Scottish keeper Nigel Dixon and put the ball into the net. The Scots were too stunned at the decisions of the umpire to make any kind of protest, but the goal should never have stood: first an accidental foot with no advantage gained should not be penalised and second the umpire should have pulled back the free hit because the ball was still moving when it was taken. No matter, the umpire's decision is final and Scotland's lead was reduced to one.

The setback of losing a goal seemed to take the wind out of Scotland's sails and the second half was a much closer affair than the first. Scotland more and more concentrated on playing the ball through the middle of the park where Italy massed in strength, and Italy started to press forward more, causing one or two moments in the Scottish defence. Coach Murray Paton changed the formation to a back three but then had only two minutes at the quarter break to sort out the midfield - that proved not long enough. With five across the midfield, the idea was to give the attack more width but the Scots outside midfielders continued to bring the ball inside, narrowing the attack to the middle three channels. Still, Italy looked less and less like scoring and the match finished with an abortive penalty corner for Scotland right on the final hooter.

Australia did Scotland a good turn by putting six goals past South Africa without reply, giving both Scotland and South Africa the same goal difference. Scotland are now in third place in the pool by virtue of having scored more goals. A draw in their final match, against South Africa, will be enough to seal third place and an easier tie in the 5-8 play offs, for which both sides have already qualified.

Tuesday 26 June

Argentina 0 Italy 1
Scotland 0 South Africa 2
Germany 0 Australia 2

Scotland 0 South Africa 2 (Biljon, Wilson)

Needing only a draw for third place in the pool, Scotland fluffed their chance and handed third place to South Africa. They started well, moving the ball about confidently but making little impression on a very well organised South African midfield and defence. Scotland forced a number of short corners but the nearest they came to scoring was when Alan Bryce slipped the ball forward to injector Ian Downie, whose angled flick was going into the top right hand corner of the net but for an acrobatic save by the goalkeeper. Unaccountably, the umpire awarded a free hit to South Africa for dangerous play. Then the roof caved in half way through the second quartrer when a botched substitution left Scotland temporarily with no left back with substitute Martin Petty only just on the field on the wrong side after a turn over for South Africa. A pass out to the right found Peter Biljon coming in to the Scottish circle to crash the ball in and put South Africa one up, the score at half time.

Scotland's attempts to restore parity in the second half by frontal attack became more and more furious, but, with a one goal lead to defend, South Africa allowed them no space to go down the middle, mopping up crash balls into the circle every time. Scotland's effort began to tire the players, and their opponents were able to bring on older, fresher players as the pace of the game dropped, beginning to assume control of the match. Into the last quarter, another goal arrived for South Africa, again from the right wing, when the ball came to Peter Wilson whose marker was up supporting the Scottish attack. The South African forward bored into the circle and, from a narrow angle, beat Scottish keeper Nigel Dixon at his near post. That was it for South Africa, who folded their tents and retreated into their defensive shell once more to ride out the match which ended 2-0 in their favour.

The result left Scotland fourth in the pool, still qualifying for the 5-8 play offs on Day 7 of the tournament when they meet Wales who were third in Pool B. While their recent results against Wales have been favourable, they will have to play better if they are to have a chance of playing for fifth place.

Senior Grand Masters Pool A

Thursday 21 June

England 2 Wales 1
Belgium 3 Japan 2

Friday 22 June

Netherlands 4 Belgium 0

Saturday 23 June

England 7 Japan 1
Netherlands 5 Wales 0

Sunday 24 June

England 7 Belgium 0

Monday 25 June

Netherlands 5 Japan 0
Wales 1 Belgium 0

Tuesday 26 June

Wales 2 Japan 1
Netherlands 1 England 2

Senior Grand Masters Pool B