Home Internationals 2017 - Over 65

Scotland Great Grand Masters were looking to improve on their fourth place the previous year in the 2017 Great Grand Masters competition held at King George V Playing Fields, Swansea on 30 June to 2 July 2017. In the end, they were unlucky to lose out to Ireland for second place on goal difference, England as usual taking the trophy.

Friday 30 June

England O65

4

Scotland O65

0

Scotland Great Grand Masters, with only eleven fit players, had an uphill task against England Over 65s, and put in a creditable performance, holding England to 1-0 until John Smith was felled with a high shot at an English short corner, and had to be taken to hospital with an injury to his cheekbone. With substitute Alan Parker a virtual passenger, the ten man Scotland team resisted well until the last quarter, when England added another three goals to make the final score 4-0.

Saturday 1 July

Scotland O65

2

Wales O65

0

Scotland Great Grand Masters put in a masterful performance against Wales Over 65 in their second match. There was not a lot between the two teams in the first half and few chances were created at either end, but Scotland took the lead from a short corner. Gordon Loudon injected the ball to Dougie Turner, who held on till the approaching runner was almost on him before slipping the ball left for Peter Gordon to strike. Injector Gordon Loudon superbly deflected the shot high into the Welsh net. Scotland had effectively only one substitute, Alan Parker's injury keeping him on the bench and John Smith being unable to play. Tim Lorimer had travelled from the English Midlands for a day trip to make up the numbers and did a good job in harrying the Welsh defence. As the game wore on, Wales came more and more into the game against their tiring opponents, but Jim Chisholm and his stubborn rearguard colleagues resisted the constant barrage of Welsh attacks. Finally, it looked as if Wales would restore parity when they were awarded a disputed penalty stroke after an incident which left Scotland keeper Chris Kalman lying injured in his goalmouth. Chris picked himself up and made a great save to keep his team ahead. With five minutes to go, Wales withdrew their keeper and played with a kicking back, but Scotland nullified the tactic by putting Tim Lorimer on the kicking back. Paradoxically, the Welsh change seem to revitalise Scotland, who swarmed forward and scored the vital second goal through Colin Gallacher after a good move left Donald Dunbar with the space to cross from the left for Colin to score.

Sunday 2 July

Ireland O65

2

Scotland O65

1

Scotland Grand Masters were badly hit by injuries and started their final match against Ireland Over 65s with only eleven players, including Kieran McLernan who was given special permission to play after having just finished his match for Scotland Senior Grand Masters. They went into the final quarter level at 1-1 following a lucky Irish goal when a richochet in the circle fell to an unmarked Irishman, and a great strike from Jim Chisholm at a short corner. However successive yellow cards from an erratic umpire who seemed to be taken in by Irish play acting left Scotland with only nine players, first Peter Gordon and then Donald Dunbar sitting on the naughty seat for highly dubious reasons. Ireland took full advantage of the short corner awarded against Donald Dunbar to score the only short corner goal conceded by Scotland in the tournament after another deflection left an Irish forward with a clear shot on goal. The match finished 2-1 for Ireland, enough for them to jump over Scotland into second place by one goal on goal difference.

Final Standings

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pt	GD
England	3	3	0	0	10	1	9	9
Ireland	3	1	0	2	2	4	3	-2
Scotland	3	1	0	2	3	6	3	-3
Wales	3	1	0	2	2	6	3	-4

Squad

Jim Bate, Ernie Brittain-Dodd , Jim Chisholm, Graham Conkie, Doug Turner, Donald Dunbar, Colin Gallacher, Peter Gordon, Chris Kalman, Tim Lorimer*, Gordon Loudon*, Alan Parker, Stuart Robertson, John Smith*

* underage player