Scotland

1-3

England

McKay 12 (pen)

 

Guinan 25 (pen)

 

 

Southam 27

 

 

Hatch 29


Four Nations Tournament
Princess Royal Park, Banff
23 May 2004

England finally came good with a convincing 3-1 victory over Scotland at a sun drenched Princess Royal Park in Banff yesterday, in front of over 2,200 supporters.

The victory not only prevented Scotland from winning the Four Nations Tournament but also lifted Paul Fairclough’s side into a third place finish.

Scotland took the lead in the 12th minute from the penalty spot after Andy Tretton brought down McKay as he broke into the box. Michael Stephen took the kick, which gave Baker no chance.

This spurred the Scots on, but England weathered the storm and almost equalised with a Hatch header, which brought a fine save from Shearer in the home goal. 

England did equalise, however in the 25th minute following a handball by Dlugonski. Steve Guinan took the penalty and scored his third goal of the Tournament.

England were now playing with confidence and moving the ball cleverly and it was no surprise when they took the lead two minutes later when the hard working Southam gathered a long clearance from Baker and gave Shearer no chance from eight yards.

A further two minutes later it was 3-1 when Hatch cut in from the left and hammered a shot past the helpless Shearer.

The Scots were not deterred and went close twice in first half stoppage time when first Southam cleared a Dlugonski header of the line and then Barrie Stephen crashed a 20-yard shot of the upright with Baker nowhere.

The second half started badly for England when in the 47th minute Glen Southam was shown a red card by Irish referee Neil Doyle for foolishly raising his arm at Murray. Whether there was any contact remained a doubt but there was no denying that he did raise an arm. 

This meant a reshuffle for the English but they probably played their best football of the week in the final 40 minutes when they controlled the game with good possession football and apart from a couple of long range efforts, Baker, who was confident throughout, was rarely troubled.

In fact it was England that came nearest to scoring when a tremendous header by Redmile was brilliantly tipped over the bar by Shearer.

Wales’s 4-1 demolition of the Republic of Ireland meant that they lifted the trophy, their second win in three years.

England could look back on a week when the side grew in confidence as the week progressed, and will rue not pressing home their first half advantage over the Irish in their first match.

It was disappointing that Fairclough had to make 14 changes from the squad he initially announced, and who knows what would have happened with a first choice squad.

After the match Fairclough praised the commitment of his squad and the way that they had gelled as the week progressed and was now looking forward to two new challenges against Iraq at Macclesfield on Thursday and the USA on 9 June in Charleston.

Team Details
 
England: Baker, Redmile, Perkins, Tretton, Sedgemore, Southam, Kerr, Ricketts, Guinan (Foyewa), Hatch (McNiven), Sheldon
Subs not used: McDonnell, Thompson, Boardman